Ed, Edd, n' Eddy From Dance to Dance
by Linken88
Summary: Set after the events of 'May I have this Ed' and the destruction of their High School The Ed's are to attend a new school while the old one is fixed. They are joined by familiar faces, both friend and foe. But several months have passed and things have changed, flowers of love have bloomed and wilted. Change is coming to the Ed's, and who knows what will come in the end.
1. The First Day

**Quick note, I did a little timeline manipulation for this one.**

The rising sun over the Cul-de-sack starts melting the snow that covers the ground, but melting snow was not the only thing the morning sun brought. With the sun breaching his window a young teenage boy wakes from his sleep. The boy yawns and stretches, followed by scratching his head of black hair, making sure to avoid the area above his right ear.

"Today is finally here." The boy says moving to the side of his bed. "The first day of a new school."  
The boy gets up off his bed, stretches again, and then turns around to make his bed. Once done the boy quickly exits his small bedroom and crosses the hall into the restroom of his family's two story house to start his morning routine.  
He showers, brushes his teeth, and then checks for any facial blemishes. The teen years have not been kind to his two best friends, so he has been actively fighting against acne. Satisfied he turns off the bathroom light and returns to his bedroom.  
He quickly donned his usual under apparel of boxers and a white undershirt, but instead of adding his favorite orange shirt and a pair of blue jeans, he excitingly puts on the new pair of dark blue dress pants and the white long sleeve dress shirt. Lastly he dawns his signature black ski hat.  
He held off on putting on his tie and the dress jacket that goes with the rest of his attire for after he eats his breakfast.

With his jacket and tie in hand the boy grabs his black messenger bag, full of all kinds of supplies he believes he will need at his new school, and heads down to the ground floor of the house. He had awoken over an hour earlier than he needed so he took this time to prepare himself a well balanced breakfast. He makes a bowl of oatmeal, with a cut up banana in it, a glass of orange juice, and an exact cup of cottage cheese.  
"A perfect meal for a perfect day." He says as he sits down at the table to eat his meal.  
As he is eating his meal the boy's parents come down the stairs. "Good morning Eddward." The boy's mother says.  
"Good morning Mother." Eddward, also known as Edd for short, responds back.  
"Ready for your first day of the new school Son?" Edd's father asks following his wife into the kitchen.  
Edd smiles. "That I am Father. I spend all of yesterday preparing. I have notebooks for each class, several folders for storing any documents I will get, and a wide arrange of writing utensils." He says, naming off everything that he had packed into his bag. He's also packed a wide assortment of various other objects and supplies he thought he might need as well, but he didn't think his parents would care to hear about that.  
Edd's father couldn't help but smile himself at his son's detailed preparation for the day. "Good to hear Son, and what about lunch?" He asks turning on the coffee maker.  
"I prepared a bag lunch last night Father."  
Edd's mother gently places her hand on Edd's shoulder. "Our young man certainly has thought this day threw."  
Edd's father opens the fridge to retrieve his own breakfast. "Well it is not every day that not only do you get into the best private school in the city, but you get in for free."  
"Yes it was a godsend that the school board was able to get the students into a new school so quickly after the horrible accident that destroyed the public school."  
Edd looks away from his parents. "Yes, it was. I am grateful for them doing so." Edd has felt the guilt of his part in the destruction of his high school at the fall dance for the past several months, even the mandatory home schooling he had to do while the school system sorted out the situation didn't keep the weight off his chest. But he fully intends to take advantage of the opportunity before him and do his very best at the new school.

* * *

After finishing his breakfast, putting on his tie and his winter jacket, he plans on putting on his dress jacket once he is at school, Edd says his farewells to his parents and leaves to head over to his best friend's house to make the walk to their new school together.  
A few houses down from Edd's is the house of one of his best friends. Edd walks around to the back of the house where there is a side entrance into the house and knocks on the door.  
Edd clasps his hands behind his back as he waits for a response to his knock, but after a full minute of waiting he still doesn't get one, so he knocks again.  
This time it only took half a minute for a response to his knocking. The door opens and a teenage boy shorter than Edd, with a few new pimples on his forehead, wearing only a white beater and his boxers, is standing in the doorway yawning. "What do you want Sock-Head?" The shorter boy asks.  
"We talked about this already Eddy, today is the first day of school." Edd isn't all that surprised that Eddy isn't ready yet. When the students found out that they were going to have several months off from school Eddy took to actively avoiding anything that would count as being responsible, much to the annoyance of Edd.  
Eddy rubs his eyes. "The school is gone idiot."  
Edd pinches the brim of his nose. "At our new school Eddy, the one that we had to go and fill out class schedules for. The one that you and Ed came with my Mother, Father, and I to get school supplies for."  
"That's today?"  
Edd sighs. "Yes Eddy."  
"I'm not going."  
Edd was already prepared for Eddy's defiance. "Anyone who doesn't show up for the first day will be expelled from the school and thus miss a year of school. How do you think your father would react to knowing that you will be unable to attend school for the rest of the year?"  
Edd knew he had Eddy metaphorically corned at the mention of his father. "Fine, let me get dressed." Eddy closes the door on the smiling Edd.  
Edd starts to hum to himself as he waited for his friend to get dressed. 'Try all you might Eddy, I am just too clever for you to get out of this.' He thinks proud of himself that he was able to outwit Eddy so quickly.

Five minutes pass and Edd was starting to wonder if Eddy fell back asleep. "You better not have gone back to bed Eddy." He says as he opens the door just enough for him to speak into the house. "Eddy? Are you almost ready?" He asks lessening for the sound of Eddy's snoring.  
"Don't get your shorts in a bunch Double Dee." The door is opened the rest of the way and Eddy dressed in a matching shirt and pants as Edd, with a yellow zip up hoodie on over the shirt, though his are very wrinkled where Edd's was ironed to perfection.  
"Where is your tie, and your jacket?" Edd asks, noticing that Eddy has the top two buttons of his shirt undone, isn't tucked in, and he doesn't have his tie on.  
Eddy holds up the jacket of his school uniform bunched up in his hand around the strap of his backpack. "I got the stupid jacket and only chumps wear ties."  
Edd ignores the fact that Eddy just said that Edd himself was a "chump" and reminds Eddy what the school administrator told them. "Eddy, any student that is out of dress code will receive after school detention for a month, again do you want your father hearing about that?"  
Eddy pushes Edd out of the way so he could walk out of the back door to the house. "My dad wouldn't care about that."  
Edd turns to follow Eddy to the house of the third member of their small group of friends. "Just, humor me Eddy. Please? This is a very important academic opportunity for us all and it would be very helpful for college applications to have a good record with this school. Why there are some schools of higher education that look highly upon your performance and record of infractions on your-"  
Eddy cuts Edd off. "All right all right, I'll put on the stupid thing, just stop talking."  
"Thank you Eddy." Edd smiles again, this has been a very productive morning for him. Every act of defiance from Eddy he has been able to counter with a well thought out and educated argument in his favor.

Still smiling, and picking up his humming again, Edd follows Eddy up to the front door. 'Nothing is going to mess this day up for me.' He thinks as Eddy pounds on the door.  
The door opens and the two Ed's are greeted by their almost six foot tall friend. "Hey guys!" The tall boy yells excited to see his friends.  
"What's shaking Lumpy?" Eddy says giving the tall boy a playful punch in the shoulder.  
"Good morning Ed, are you ready for today?" Edd asks greeting his friend in a more polite manner then Eddy. As far as Edd could see Ed had his uniform on under his long green winter coat. Thought it looked as if Ed had once again not bothered to properly bathe himself this morning, with his oily and very messy hair and the dirt and grime visible on his acne ridden face.  
"I am Double Dee, I put on the funny clothes just like you told me."  
Edd claps his hand together. "Very good Ed. See Eddy, not everyone finds the new uniform unpleasant." He says looking down at his friend.  
Eddy rolls his eyes at Edd before turning to walk away from the house. "Yeah yeah, so lumpy likes the monkey suits we have to wear now, big woop."  
Ed laughed at Eddy's comment, but Edd didn't find it funny at all. He liked the uniform and had to almost literally bite his tongue to stop himself from correcting Eddy on his misuse of the slang term of "monkey suit".  
"Well none the less, let us get going gentlemen, it is a good long walk to our new house of education."  
On the walk to their new School Edd ended up ahead of the other two Ed's due to his excitement for the first day of school.  
"Sweet, this way takes us past the gas station." Eddy says as they approach a small service station and convenience store. "Let's get some snacks for the walk."  
Eddy took one step in the direction of the store before he is stopped by Edd with a firm hand on his shoulder. "No Eddy, we need to get to school. I'm sure there will be breakfast provided in the cafeteria."  
Eddy shrugs off Edd's hand. "Buzz kill."  
"You will thank me when we arrive on time Eddy."

For the rest of the walk the Ed's were quiet, Eddy because he was still quite tired, Ed because he had nothing to talk about, and Edd because he was daydreaming of the events that are to come. 'Oh boy, I hope that the math teacher enjoys long form problem solving, and that the science department has an Entomology club. Oh I so hope that the librarian is in need of an after school assistant and that the library has a large section of classical literature.'  
Edd's head was so far in the clouds that he didn't notice that him and his two friends were in the parking lot of their new school.  
"Who cool guys, it looks like a castle." Ed says commenting on the look of the school snapping Edd back to reality.  
"It is a very old building Ed." The school building was a three to four story high old tan brick building with steep sloping roofs on some of the sections with tall ornate windows with very light stone crenulations. And a wrought iron fence encircles the building and grounds around it.  
"Ok, I'll admit that this place looks kinda cool." Eddy says admitting to only part of his interest in the building.  
"Trust me gentlemen, this next year and a half is going to be a life changing experience for everyone involved."

The boys follow the mass of students entering into the building into the entrance way. The tall ceiling is lit by a hanging chandelier giving the room a feeling of wisdom and age. The boys continue to follow the group until they are in the cafeteria.  
"So now what do we do?" Eddy asks the three boys move to sit at one of the empty tables.  
"You didn't read any of the paperwork we got in the mail did you Eddy?" A female voice says from behind the boys.  
They turn and see a teenage girl with medium length blond hair dressed in the female uniform of the school. Which is a short sleeve white dress shirt with the same color tie as the boys under a dark blue sweater vest and dark blue and black plaid pleated skirt.  
Eddy was the first of the boys to say anything. "What makes you think a cool cat like me got time to read Nazz babe?"  
Nazz, the blond teen, laughs. "I wonder if you even know how to sometimes Eddy."  
Nazz didn't mean what she said as a hurtful insult, the days of the Ed's being out casted and ridiculed by the other dwellers of the Cul-de-sack have long since past, but she still had to keep Eddy in his place and shoot down every attempt at flirting with her.  
Eddy's face turns red from embracement, and Edd rolls his eyes at his friends attempt at courting Nazz. "Good morning Nazz, I hope you are as enthusiastic as I am about starting our new school." Edd says giving her a proper greeting.  
Nazz looks around the school surveying the other students. "So long as they have a cheer team, I don't care about where I'm going." She then looks back at the Ed's and sees that Ed is burning red in the face. "You ok there Ed?" She asks concerned for the gentle giant.  
Edd looks to his friend and see that he is red in the face and sweating. "Ed, are you alright? Are you feeling too warm with your jacket on?" He asks taking his own off to dawn his dress jacket.  
Ed shakes his head up and down, then side to side, and then up and down again. Edd looks at his friend and then to Nazz, whom Ed had his eyes glued to. 'Oh.' Edd thinks finally understanding what was wrong with Ed. It was his personal body tempter, but it was also his hormones and the site of Nazz, who had grown into a very attractive figure over the past few years.  
Edd holds his dress jacket out to Nazz. "Nazz would you mind holding my coat while I help Ed. I fear his hands may be too shaky to open his jacket."  
She takes it and carefully folds it over her crossed arms, blocking her features that Ed was glued to. With the distraction out of the way Edd turns to Ed. "Ok Ed, let's get you out of this heavy coat." Edd pulls the zipper on the jacket down revealing that Ed had done a less than spectacular job of dressing himself then Edd had originally thought. His dress shirt, while on properly was miss buttoned, and he had tied his tie into a shoe string bow. With a sigh Edd says; "Here Ed, let me help you with this." And then starts to fix Ed's uniform. "And Eddy, you best tuck your shirt in as well."

It took Edd a few minutes to help Ed with his shirt and tie, and Eddy with his own tie, but by the time he was done he was confident that his friends would be free from being in trouble for being out of dress code.  
"I look like James Bond Double Dee." Ed says looking down at his clothing.  
"I feel like a monkey now." Eddy adds commenting on his own uniform.  
"Well now you look like what you are Eddy." A raspy voice says coming from behind Nazz.  
Nazz, who was admiring Edd's dedication to helping his friends, jumps and turns around at the sound of the voice. "Kevin!" she exclaims to the teen boy about Edd's height before hugging him.  
Kevin hugs Nazz back before the two share a quick kiss. "Hey Nazz."  
Seeing Nazz and Kevin kiss shocked all three of the Ed's "Whoa, you guys, uh failed to mention something to the rest of us?" Eddy asks almost in shock.  
Nazz leans back from Kevin. "Yeah." She says with a very wide grin. She holds Edd's jacket out to him as she says; "Kevin invited me to go with him and his family on this snowboarding trip just before Christmas, and well one thing lead to another…"  
Eddy felt as if he just came in last place in a scamming contest at the reveal of the news that Kevin and Nazz were a thing, Ed didn't quite understand so his mind went to thoughts of gravy, and Edd, well Edd didn't really care. Yes he had a teen crush on Nazz, as did every boy did at one point from their class, but he knew that they were two very different kinds of people, so their interests would never line up to be more than anything other than friends.  
"Well, so long as you were." *ahem* "Safe. I'm happy for you." Edd says with a clearing of his throat.  
"You speak of safety Double the Ed Boy! Then save Rolf from this infernal contraption." Rolf, a foreign boy that is also from the Cul-de-sack, just as Nazz and Kevin are, yells struggling with his own tie as he approached the group.  
Edd finished buttoning up his dress jacket just as Rolf reached the group. "Here, allow me Rolf." With hands that are quickly becoming experts and tying ties on other people, Edd fixes Rolf's tie.  
"You should start charging people for clothing help Double Dee." Nazz says as her and Kevin move to hold hands  
"My services will remain free of charge Nazz, I enjoy helping others where I can."  
"Well I bet you could get into some tutoring here after school then." She adds.  
Edd was about to comment on how good of an idea that was, but a voice came over the PA system of the school.  
"Attention students."The voice, a rough and aged voice, says through the speakers on the wall. "This is your Headmaster David Moon. First off I would like to welcome back all of our returning students of St. Mary Abbots, and to welcome the new students that will be joining us for the rest of the year and the next. Now for those of you who are uninformed, last fall the local public high school, Peach Creek High, suffered severe damage during their fall school dance and had to be closed for repairs. Threw the combined efforts of the public school board, the mayor, the teachers of Peach Creek High, and our own governing body, we were able to make arrangements to accommodate half of the students displaced by the accident." This was followed by a large amount of the students, most certainly the ones not from Peach Creek High, groaning.  
"This does mean that classes will be fuller and the hallways more crowded, but I know we can make it through this. And before your parents start to ask, they will be receiving a discount on your tuition until the public school students are back in their school, which is documented in the letters we sent them over the brake. Now all of the public school students, you will be in classes with the rest of the student body. You will not receive any special treatment and will be subject to all the same rules and punishments they are. You will report to your Homeroom listed on your schedule that was mailed out to you with the guidelines and rules book. If you do not have your schedule report to the office and we will issue you a new one along with your first demerit. That is all."  
The dwellers of the Cul-de-sack look at each other, all six of them, and three other girls that they have yet to see and hope not to see, each played a part in the destruction of their school. But they swore to secrecy that they would never speak a word of what happened that night.  
"So… did anyone else not bring their class list?" Eddy asks scratching the back of his head and looking away.  
"There is a list of classes? Can I be a mage Eddy?" Ed asks confused.  
Edd reaches into his messenger bag. "I was prepared for this and made several copies of your class schedules. Say for Math and Fine Arts we three are in the same classes all day." Edd hands his friends the lists of their class schedule as the PA comes back on.  
"And one more thing." Headmaster Moon says. "Any of the new students that wish to rent a locker may do so from the office, but you will have to share it with two other students to make up for the increase in students. You may choose who you wish to share with, or have administration do so."  
Nazz turns to Rolf. "Rolf, you wanna go in on one with me and Kevin?"  
Rolf nods. "Yes good, Rolf will need a place to store his lunch of fish heads and goats milk."  
Kevin, Nazz and Rolf turn to walk away, forgetting that the Ed's were still there. "Oh no Rolf, you are to put books, and only books in our locker." Nazz says as the three disappear into the crowd.  
Edd turns looking away from his other friends and to his fellow Ed's "Gentlemen, would you care to go in on a locker with me?" It was a question Edd knew he didn't need to ask, but he still did so out of politeness.  
Eddy grabs his backpack. "I'll need a place to ditch all the homework I'll not be doing."  
"And I will need a place to- um… I'll go in too Double Dee." Ed couldn't think of a reason he'd need the locker, but he does everything with Eddy and Edd so he didn't really need a reason.  
Edd smiles. "Excellent."

* * *

After paying the renting fee, that Edd paid all of, the three Ed's found their locker with a few minutes to spare before they needed to be in their Homeroom.  
"This is an excellent location for a locker gentlemen. Close to the Library and Cafeteria, and not too far from our Homeroom." Edd says as he opens the door to the boy's locker. It was a half locker with a small shelf on the top and a hook on the inside of the door. The three boys stow their jackets in the locker and Edd adds his lunch bag to the locker from his messenger bag.  
Eddy rolls his eyes. "So long as there will be plenty of tail to watch, I don't care where it is."  
"Eddy." Edd scolds him. "You are to not make every female in the school feel uncomfortable."  
"Oh he is going to be too busy with me to worry about any other chicks in this place." Ed, Edd, and Eddy froze. They knew that voice, it was a voice that struck fear into the hearts of everyone they knew. Slowly they turned around to see who the voice came from. But they knew who it was, standing across the hall from them was three teen girls.  
"Kankers." Eddy says finding the taste of the word disgusting.  
The tallest of the three, a curly red head with her bangs covering her eyes, grins. She was the one that drew attention to them in the first place. "See girls, I told you this new place wouldn't be all that bad."  
To her right was the shortest of the three with long platinum blond hair and buck teeth. "Hi ya Big Ed." She blinks her eyes doe like at Ed.  
Edd almost didn't recognize the third member of the Kanker sisters. All three of them were dressed in the school uniform, though it was clear theirs were second or even third hand, along with their signature pink belts. But for as long as he could remember the middle Kanker had blue hair that curved to cover her right eye, but now it was significantly shorter, dyed jet black, and her bangs came down to just below her right eye in pointed clumps of hair revealing her eye slightly.  
Another thing that threw Edd off as to the identity of the middle sister was that the other two had their hands on their hips, as they did when ever tormentation was to be done to the Ed's, but she had her arms crossed and was looking away from the boys, as if she didn't want to be there.  
"Hey May." The tallest sister says to the shortest.  
"Yes Lee?" May asks back, not taking her eyes off Ed.  
"Did you see these two eyeing up that tramp Nazz? You'd think they had forgotten that they are taken." Lee says as she grin grows.  
"I did Lee, I think they need to be reminded who's they are."  
"Ah crap… Double Dee, exit path?" Eddy whispers to Edd.  
Edd thanks his need to know everything in advance to having memorized the map of the school. "Down the hall five doors is Homeroom on the left."  
"Got it." Eddy turns to Ed, still whispering. "Lumpy, stay with me and we can make it." Ed just nods not taking his eyes off of May out of fear.  
"What about you Marie? You going to remind your Honeybun?" Lee asks turning to her other sister.  
Marie, the black haired one with her arms crossed, just blows air out of the side of her mouth. "I got better things to do."  
Lee shrugs her shoulders. "I guess you got lucky Double Dee." Lee takes a step towards the Ed's triggering Eddy.  
"RUN BOYS!" He yells and Ed and him take off running down the hall with May and Lee right after them.  
But Edd didn't run, he was shocked that Marie didn't want to join her sisters in the bullying of him and his friends. "You… don't wish to bully me?" He asks his curious nature ignoring his better judgment.  
Marie quickly looks at Edd before turning to walk down the hall in the opposite direction that Ed and Eddy rand to get away from her sisters. "Like I said, I got better things to do."  
Edd watches Marie walk away. 'Strange, she is usually the more aggressive of the three of them.' He thinks walking away from the locker.

A few doors down the hall Edd sees Lee and May walking in the opposite direction of him, no doubt done with his friends for the time being. Edd starts to worry that May and Lee may choose to attack him if they didn't get their hands on Ed or Eddy.  
"You boys got fast, those two just barely got into that door before we could get to them." Lee says as she passed Edd. "But we know where your Homeroom is now." She adds as May and her start to laugh their signature evil laugh.  
The laugh sent a shiver down Edd's spine, and stays there as he opens the door of his Homeroom. The classroom was one of the English classrooms, book shelves against the back wall and various quotes from classical books on the wall. There are about twenty desks in rows with three long tables in the back for students to sit at, the tables were there to make room for the extra students.  
Edd sees Ed and Eddy sitting at one of the tables and quickly walks over and sits down just as a bell rings throughout the school. "Did Marie get you?" Eddy asks as Edd sits down.  
Edd sets his bag down on the table. "No, she didn't. She just walked away."  
"Well just take your blessing and run with it man. But more importantly did you get a look at Nazz? Who care if she is taking now, that uniform is smoking hot."  
Edd is not surprised that Eddy also ogled Nazz earlier, but then a thought came to him. "You do realize that that it is the same uniform that Lee has on don't you Eddy?"  
"What, no it wasn't" Eddy argued back as the class room door opened.  
Ed dropped his voice down to a whisper. "It may not have been as new or in the best condition, but the Kanker sisters were in fact dressed the same as the rest of the female students. And so by commenting on how it looked on one student, means that that comment works for all students in it."  
"Not it dos-" Eddy is cut off by the teacher walking into the class.  
"Good morning class." The older gentleman with a managed white beard and round wire glasses says walking into the classroom with a briefcase in hand.  
"Good morning Professor Jargon." The students who were not from Peach Creek High say in unison.  
Professor Jargon sets his briefcase down on his desk. "New students, you will only get a pass on this for today. When a teacher greets a class here, you greet them back just like the rest of the students." He moves to stand in front of his desk. "You will report to this classroom every morning. The classroom door will be open shortly after the school itself opens. You are allowed to spend the morning time in here and work on homework or other various projects. You are not allowed any electronics say for school approved laptops in any of the classrooms. Those are the basic rules for Homeroom."  
Professor Jargon then turns and opens his case and removes a piece of paper and starts roll call. He reads a name off the list and then looks for the student that replied with a "here".  
Roll call was going on without any problems, but when the Professor reached Edd, a problem arose that Edd didn't even think of.  
"Eddward Vincent?" Professor Jargon asks.  
"Here Sir." Edd responds quickly back.  
Professor Jargon looks up at Edd. "Take your hat off, that is your one warning."  
Edd feels the blood drain from his face. "Um, Sir, could I please not? It is rather important to me that I keep it on."  
Eddy chimed in for help Edd. "Yeah Teach, he's got a good reason for having it." Eddy and Ed are the only people outside of his family that know why he has his black ski cap on at all times.  
Edd and Eddy's pleading fell on deaf ears. "No. take it off, or you're going to the Headmasters office."  
Edd looks from Eddy, to Ed, and then back to the teacher. "Please Sir, I beg of you."  
Professor Jargon points at the door. "Out."  
"But but Sir." Edd tried to argue one last time.  
But Professor Jargon wouldn't have any of it. "No buts, the Headmaster's office is on the second floor. Now get going."  
Edd once again looks to Ed and Eddy, he never thought he would be sent to the Headmasters office for rule breaking. He sighs and is already predicting the reaction his parents will have when they find out that he got in trouble within the first hour of school as he stood up from his chair. He grabs his bag and hangs his head as he walks out of the classroom into the empty hall.  
"This is disastrous."

* * *

The walk to the Headmaster's office was longer than it should have been due to the fact that Edd was dragging his feet. He was trying to think of a logical excuse for his defiance of removing his hat, but he couldn't think of one and had to break what he is sure was another rule and message his mother on his smartphone.  
"Mother, Something horrible has happened."  
"Eddward. You know you are not to use your phone during school hours."  
"I understand Mother, but my Homeroom teacher told me to remove my hat."  
"Oh no Eddward, the school told us that they would allow you to wear it."  
"I was sent to the Headmaster's office."  
"I will call them and talk to them, but you remind them of the medical records and maybe they can look past this."  
"Thank you Mother."

Edd finished his conversation with his mother just as he reached the Head Master's office. He slips his phone into his pocket and takes a deep breath before opening the door.  
He was honestly expecting the school office to look different than what it did. It looked just like the office of Peach Creek High. There are a few tables with chairs around them, a receptionist desk with a woman typing away at her computer, and a few office room doors in the back.  
"Um, excuse me." Edd says approaching the receptionist.  
The woman looks up from her computer. "Yes?"  
"I was sent to see the Headmaster by Professor Jargon"  
The woman picks up a pen and a pad of paper. "Name?"  
"Eddward Vincent."  
"What did you do?"  
"Well he told me to remove my hat, but my Mother and Father were assured that I would be allowed to keep it on due to my… medical reasons." Edd says finding the right words.  
The receptionist writes what Edd says down on the paper and then rips it off. "Go sit down and wait." She points at the tables as she gets up from her desk.  
Edd sighs and goes to sit down. 'I hope Mother can sort this out.'

Several minutes pass as Edd sits at the table waiting to talk with the Headmaster. The bell rings just as one of the office room doors opens. "Eddward, come in here."  
Edd gulps and stands up from his chair. He walks across the office room to the open office and quickly takes in the room. There is a large wooden desk with a large leather chair behind it and a pair of small chairs in front of it, there are frames all over the walls, some with pictures and others with documents, and lastly a glass door case with trophies and awards inside it.  
"Have a seat Eddward." The sound of the voice from behind Edd made him jump and turn. He looks behind him at whom he assumes is Headmaster David Moon. Headmaster Moon is a tall but thin man with short salt and pepper hair dressed in a dress shirt and tie.  
"Yes Sir." Edd quickly moves to sit in one of the small chairs as Headmaster Moon walks around to his chair  
Headmaster Moon looks at a few papers on his desk not saying a word for almost a minute. Finally when Edd was starting to wonder if the Headmaster was ever going to speak. "So you choose to defy a request of a teacher I've been told."  
"Yes, but I ha-"  
"And you understand that we have a zero tolerance for rule breaking?"  
"Yes, but-"  
"The you understand. You will take the hat off, apologies to Professor Jargon the first chance you get and report to after school detention for a month as punishment."  
Edd was frustrated and acted out of character. "I have a medical reason for my hat sir!" He rips off his black ski cap off his head revealing a very noticeable scar over his right ear. "My Mother and Father were assured that I would be allowed to keep my hat on to keep this covered." Edd says pointing at the scar on the side of his head.  
Headmaster Moon Looks at Edd and his scar. It is the one thing Edd is embarrassed about, and even more so as a teenager when appearance is more important. Headmaster Moon leans back in his chair and looks away from Edd. "I understand your need to keep this hidden from your peers Eddward and I am willing to make a compromise with you. You may continue to wear your hat, but you must start growing your hair out to cover the scar that way."  
"Thank you Sir."  
"However. Rules are still rules. Until you have your hair long enough you will be attending after school detention and then a month after that as well. And this punishment will carry into the next year in needed."  
Edd couldn't believe the Headmaster. Detention for months was a very steep punishment. "I understand Sir." Edd felt a sinking feeling in his heart.  
"I think it will be best to move you into a different Homeroom as well, Professor Jargon is not a very compromising person." Headmaster Moon starts to write on his own note pad. "Show this note to your teachers and any facility that inquire about your head wear." He rips the note off the pad and hand it to Edd.  
Edd quickly reads the note; "Eddward has an understood medical condition that we are allowing him to temporarily continue to wear his hat until accommodations have been reached. Headmaster Moon."  
Edd slips his hat back over his head. "Thank you very much for your understanding Headmaster."  
Headmaster Moon gives Edd a very stern look. "I don't ever want to see you in my office again unless it is on good terms Eddward. This school has given a lot to you public school children and I don't want you adding to the increase in problems that are coming."  
"I promise Sir that I will be a module student."

Edd quickly left the office and made his way down to his first period class. "No more mishaps Eddward, we are going to be a straight arrow student from now on." He says as he opens the door to his first period class, which is Sophomore English.  
This classroom is just like his Homeroom classroom, bookshelves and posters on the walls. Relieved, but not surprised, Edd saw Ed and Eddy sitting in the back of the classroom at one of the tables.  
"You must be Eddward. Where were you that made you tardy?" The woman's voice made Edd jump and turn. Behind the teacher's desk sits a mid forties looking woman with her brown hair tied in a bun.  
"I was in the Headmaster's office, I am sorry for being tardy, he told me to show this note to any teacher I came to." Edd holds the note out to his teacher and she takes it.  
Quickly she reads it and then hands it back to Edd. "Very well, I will expect fifty lines as punishment for your lateness. You may do them today after school in detention. Take a seat now."  
Edd couldn't believe he was being punished, again. "I-." He started to argue against the punishment, but he remained himself of how that turned out for the last teacher he tried to argue against. "Yes ma'am." He hangs his head and sighs a quiet sigh as he walks over to where Ed and Eddy are sitting.  
Eddy didn't even wait for Edd to fully sit down before he started the questioning. "Dude, what did the big guy say?"  
Edd lowered his voice and kept his mouth movements to a minimal. "I can keep my hat until I grow my hair out to be long enough to cover the, youknowwhat, but I will have to be in after school detention until then and for a month after that."  
For once Eddy didn't have the heart to make fun of Edd's miss fortune. "Damn man."  
"And I am to be moved into a new homeroom as well."  
"Jez, want me and Lumpy to get ourselves in trouble so we can keep you company?"  
It did Edd good to hear his friend so quickly jump to his aid in such a way, but Edd knew it wouldn't do Ed or Eddy any good to get into extra trouble on top of the trouble they are sure to get into without the intent to help Edd. "Thank you Eddy, but I must whether this on my own."

English went by without any trouble for Edd, he took the notes needed and answered every question asked of him. The teacher did give him the line he will need to write as he walked out after the bell, "I will not be late to class ever again", which reminded him of that to come.  
Same was the case with his World History and Biology class that followed. But after the third class hour of the day, Edd had to part ways with Eddy and Ed. Where Ed and Eddy were off to the Fine Arts class, Edd had Intro to Algebra.  
"You will do fine guys, just listen to the teacher, only talk when called upon and try and take notes." Edd says trying to reassure his friends as they stand at a split in the hallway.  
"Why did we have to take a stupid art class Double Dee?" Eddy asks kicking a nonexistent can.  
Edd pats his friend on the shoulder. "Because the school required one arts class. And it was this, Choir or Classical Dance to choose from. I figured you would prefer neither of those."  
"Holy crap, this place is evil."

* * *

Intro to Algebra was the class Edd was most looking forward to, that is until they got to insects in Biology. He quickly reached the classroom and took a seat in the front row eager to learn. Edd had quickly come to realize that the layout for the classrooms were very similar. Desks with tables in the back, bookshelves behind that, and chores related material hung on the wall. 'Keep it simple and consistent must be part of the planning process for the school.' He thinks as students start to file into the room.  
Just as the bell rings Edd sees the last student entered the room, and it is someone he desperately didn't want to share a class with. Marie Kanker, with her beaten up blue backpack with "Kanker Life" scrawled across it throw over her shoulder, walks in Edd's direction and he feels the all too failure panic wash over him. But it is quickly replaced by the same confusion from that morning. She didn't stop as she walked past, she didn't say a word, she didn't even look at him with her devilish eyes. All Edd got was a quick glare threw her black bangs as she passed.  
'Ok Eddward, what did we do to free ourselves from Marie?' He asks himself as the teacher enters the classroom.

Marie had taken a seat in the very far back corner as far away from Edd as she could get and remained quiet for the whole time the teacher, Professor Grimm, talked. Edd found Marie reaming quiet very odd, she is known to speak out at least once in every class, and would take quick looks back at her to reassure himself that she was still there.  
When it came to working quietly on the tasks set forth by the teacher Marie went from sitting not saying a word to working on something in a book, as far as Edd could tell it was a book anyway.  
Marie's drastic change in personality, and distinct changes of her appearance brought thoughts of wonder as to why to Edd, but also thoughts of concern too. 'Could something bad have happened over the brake that has unbalanced her? Or maybe it is a reaction to a severe emotional trauma.'

When the bell rang signaling the end of the class Professor Grimm yells at the students about doing a list of math problems the students need to do for homework as they got up from their seats to file out of the door.  
Edd gathers up his things, but stops briefly as Marie walks past him. Again she doesn't say anything or even looks at him, which only added to his wonder.  
Once out of the classroom Edd makes a beeline to his shared locker to retrieve his lunch bag. 'Let us hope that the rest of the day is calmer.' He thinks walking down the hallway.

* * *

Inside the lunch room he finds all of his friends sitting at a table together. "Gentlemen and lady." Edd says greeting his friends as he sat down at the table. "I hope you have had an enjoyable first half of our first day."  
"School is School." Kevin says.  
"This place looks cool from the outside, but its stricter than prison." Nazz adds.  
"Rolf does not see the problems with all the rules, the clothing however annoys Rolf."  
"The next two years is going to be hell." Eddy adds to the complaining about the new school.  
Ed didn't say anything, as to him shoveling food into his mouth.  
Edd opens his lunch bag and pulls out his plastic container of dried fruit and granola. "While I agree this will be a challenge, I for one am looking forward to the academic challenge and the potential of meeting new friends."  
Eddy rolls his eyes. "Easy for you to say, your Kanker seems to have given up on you."  
Nazz, Kevin, and Rolf all stop eating and their jaws fall open. "Marie gave up on you?" Nazz was the first one to gain her sense back enough to ask what the three wanted to know.  
"It would appear so. She showed no interest in pursuing me along with Ed and Eddy when her and her sisters showed up in the hallway." Edd responds, confirming what Eddy said.  
Kevin, still with wide eyes was the next to speak. "Seriously? Wow man, congrats are in order then. You are finally free."  
"Yeah. Oh damn Double Dee! You can finally start talking to girls now! I know this one chick from PCH that would be perfect for you. She was on the cheer team with me and I know you'd just love her." Nazz quickly got excited at the idea of setting Edd up with one of her fellow cheerleaders from Peach Creek High.  
Edd however never had an interest in most girls, that is not to say he didn't like girls and it is a well know fact that he also found Nazz attractive alongside the rest, it's just he knows how different of a mindset he posses and that a vast majority of the females in their age group would find his more academic nature "boring". And so he never sought companionship with a member of the opposite sex. "I appreciate the offer Nazz, but school work and maintaining my GPA comes before courtshiping."  
Nazz rolls her eyes at Edd. "You can't put a curtain up forever Double Dee. It's a whole new school which means it's a whole new start."  
Kevin and Eddy both nod. "She's right Sock Head, with Marie out of the picture you can chase tail without the fear of getting stabbed." Eddy says, over exaggerating what the Kanker Sisters would do if they found an Ed with another female.  
"Eddy!" Edd scolds his friend. "You shouldn't talk about ladies as such."  
"Yeah Eddy, that is kind of a jackass thing to say, especially when I'm within earshot." Nazz isn't too surprised at the way Eddy talked about her gender, she just hopes that Eddy doesn't influence Kevin with his way of thinking. It took enough work to get him to look at her as a girl to begin with.  
"I just wish to focus on my studies for the time being. Besides what would I have to talk about that would interest a lady? The detailed thinkings of long dead historical figures that have influenced currant culture?"

* * *

After lunch Edd was again in a class without Ed and Eddy, this time it was Edd's turn for Fine Arts and Ed and Eddy for Intro to Algebra.  
After Edd told Eddy and Ed to pay attention to the teacher and take notes, tasks he knew would go unaccomplished, he made his way to his fifth period class.  
He wasn't too sure about how this class would go for him. While he knows a good amount about classical works of art, it isn't his best subject. But it's not his worst, which is Physical Education, so he was at least confidant in his chances of passing the class.

Upon entering the class Edd takes a quick look around. Where all the other classrooms had a similar layout, this one was far from it. Where before there were rows of desks and tables in the back, there are just rows of long tables, four rows to be exact. There are no bookcases in the back, instead there are painting easels with half finished paintings upon them and more finished paintings on the walls.  
After he finished taking in the layout of the room his eyes fell on a sight his mind didn't believe so he skipped it over at first. Sitting at the front row table in the middle, upright with her hands clasped together on top of a black book sat Marie Kanker. Seeing Marie was not the unbelievable part, it was the fact that she was in the front and was doing her best to hide a smile that Edd himself has worn so many times he couldn't count. It was a smile that showed that she was eager for the class and learning what was to be taught in the class.  
Marie seemed to be so lost in her own world that she didn't see Edd walk in the room, or take a seat at the third row of tables.  
Shortly after Edd sat down the bell rang and the teacher walked in, a short woman with long mousey hair tied hastily into a ponytail. "After noon, now let's get right to it. New kids I am Ms. Marpole, and by now you should know the rules."  
Ms. Marpole grabs a piece of chalk from the black board and quickly scrawls "Vincent Van Gogh" in very messy handwriting. "Who can tell me how Vincent Van Gogh influence the art world?"  
To Edd's amazement Marie's hand was the first to shoot up. "Name?" Ms. Marpole asks pointing at Marie.  
"Marie Kanker." Marie answers.  
"Ok Ms. Kanker go."  
"He was a major part of the Post-Impressionism period that took place in like the nineteen hundreds."  
Ms. Marpole smiles at Marie's quick answer. "Very good, would you care to elaborate?"  
"Well he preferred everyday life subjects over religion and fantasy, and the use of bold colors and thick brushstrokes. He was more interested in the fleeting effect of light and color of nature. It's believed that he wanted to break away from naturalism. Instead, choosing to paint with emotion and was interested in a more individual, subjective and creative view of the world."  
Not only was Ms. Marpole impressed, but so was Edd. He's never seen Marie speak in such a way. She clearly knew about Vincent Van Gogh and his work, Edd wasn't even sure that Marie could read prior to this event.

As class went on Ms. Marpole talked more on Vincent Van Gogh and his work, and every question asked Marie knew the answer to impressing Ms. Marpole and Edd more and more.  
"I think you will do very well in my class Ms. Kanker." Ms. Marpole says just before the bell rang.  
"Thanks Teach." Edd almost dropped his messenger bag. Marie just thanked someone that wasn't one of her sisters.

* * *

The finally class of the day was the one Edd didn't look forward to at all, Physical Education. He met up with Ed and Eddy outside the boys locker room.  
"Dude, this class is coed. Can you say hello ladies in shorts?" Eddy says to Edd with a playful punch in the arm.  
The events of the day and Marie acting so out of character had Edd out of his normal mind set. "Eddy, I swear to the Maker that I will have you neutered if you don't stop treating every female as if they are only for your enjoyment."  
Eddy is shocked at what Edd said. "Damn man. I'll stop ok?"  
Edd lets out a sigh. "Thank you Eddy."

Inside the locker room the Ed's store their book bags into lockers and head into the gymnasium. They didn't change into any gym clothing on the count of them not having any. The gymnasium was just like every other one Edd has seen, hard wood floors, basketball hoops, pull out bleacher, and blue mats attached to the wall, for reasons unknown to anyone.  
Besides Ed and Eddy being in the class with Edd, Kevin and Rolf were in the locker room with the Ed's.  
"Can you believe that we have to get all new gym clothes?" Kevin asks looking around the gym.  
"Well it is to be expected that our ones from Peach Creek High would not be allowed." Edd says as the girls exit their locker room.  
Nazz was at the front of the group of girls and quickly ran over to the boys. "You guys are not going to like this class, like at all." She says to the Ed's  
"Why?" Asks Eddy.  
Nazz turns and points at the group of girls. "That's why." She says as Lee, May, and Marie walks out of the locker room.  
"Eddy!" Ed yells out of fear.  
"Ah crap." Eddy adds followed by Edd saying; "Oh dear…"  
"Whelp, this class just went to the pits." Kevin himself says patting Ed and Eddy on the back. "At least Double Dee here has been freed of his tormentor."  
Nazz shakes her head. "It's still going to be hell in a handbasket."  
"Oh look girls, more of our "friends"." Lee says once she spotted the other teens from the Cul-de-sack.  
May follows her sister's gaze and her eyes light up at the sight of Ed. "Oh boy! Our men!"  
Marie again didn't follow in her sister's excitement, instead she turned her back and crossed her arms.  
"Wow… she really did give up on you Double Dee." Nazz says finally believing what Eddy had said at lunch. "What did you do?"  
Again Edd found Marie's actions perplexing. "I honestly have no idea."

Shortly later the teacher of the class, a short and stout older man with a shaved head, came in to the gym. "Students, as I am sure you saw dress down is unneeded for today. However, it will only be for today. I expect all of you to be in the proper attire tomorrow. And you public school kids, the dress code is posted in the locker rooms. You can buy approved attire from the school office or bring in your own."  
Several groans were heard from the teens from Peach Creek High.  
"And for that, laps. Get running." The teacher says pointing away from himself.  
The rest of the students that were not from Peach Creek High glare at the others. "Oh we are so hated now." Nazz says as the group joins in running around the gym.

The teacher ended up keeping the students running around the gym for roughly fifteen minutes before he was satisfied with the punishment.  
"This school is hell. It has to be, we died and we are all in hell." Eddy says falling to the ground.  
"No relaxing kids. Since it's a casual dress today, we'll keep it light. Onto push-ups."

For the rest of the class the teens did a wide arrange of exercises after the push-ups, leaving them all in pain and exhausted.  
"Jesus, running was bad enough, but all that other crap in this monkey suite was horrible." Eddy says pulling his tie off as the boys walked out of the locker into the hallway.  
"Yes it was rather diff-" Edd was cut off by a tall muscular boy pushing him out of his way.  
"Watch it punk." The boy says with a glare at Edd.  
Eddy glares back at the boy. "You watch it."  
The boy stops and turns around. "You wanna start something? You filthy public school trash."  
"Who you calling trash!" Eddy yells at the boy.  
The boy pokes Eddy in the chest. "You wanna go? Cause I will lay you out."  
"Eddy, stop. You know we cannot get into any trouble." Edd says putting his hand on Eddy's shoulder.  
"Yeah man, it's not worth it." Kevin adds.  
Eddy grits his teeth. "Fine, come on guys let's get going home." Eddy turns and starts walking away as the tall boy laughs at the boys.

* * *

"I hate that guy." Edd says as Edd opens the boys locker.  
Edd pulls out the three jackets out of the locker. "You don't even know him Eddy."  
Eddy takes his sweater from Edd. "Don't care, don't like any of these private school chumps. Thinking they are better than us because mommy and daddy pay for them to go to this school."  
Edd closes the Locker. "Just let it go Eddy. Now I have to go to the library for my." *Sigh* "Detention. So you guys head on back to the Cul-de-sack and I will be home an hour later."  
"Why don't you just ditch it?" Eddy asks.  
Edd looks at Eddy with a stern look. He didn't have to say anything to Eddy about his reasoning for not ditching the detention sentence. But he did have to remind them about their Gym clothing. "Remember to attain the proper clothing for Physical Education for tomorrow."

* * *

With a heavy sigh Edd walks into the library, this was not how he wanted the first time into his new school's library to go. It should have been for academic reasons, not for punishment. And seeing the inside of the library only made Edd dread his punishment even more. The library was two floors of book shelves and several tables and arm chairs.  
"Hear for detention?" A woman sitting behind a U shaped desk asks.  
Edd turns to face her. "Yes, Eddward Vincent."  
The woman looks at a list on her desk. "Here you are, dress code violation, there is just one other student here that was caught smoking in the women's restroom. You are to sit quietly and work on any lines given to you, homework or you may read in quiet. There is to be no talking or tomfoolery for the next hour. Understand?"  
Edd nods. "Yes ma'am"  
"Good, then go take a seat."  
Edd walks into the library admiring the rows upon rows of books. 'Ok, maybe this won't be so bad.' He thinks, well that is until he saw who the other student was. It was his former blue haired, now black, stalker Marie.  
Marie had noticed someone talk into the sitting area of the Library and when she saw Edd for a split second she smiled like she used to at the sight of Edd. But she quickly stopped and switched to glaring at him.  
Edd saw the smile and as he walked over to a different table he could help but think about Marie again. 'What could have caused such a change in Marie? If only I had known more about her prior to today I might have a better understanding. Though had we known more about her we wouldn't have been so shocked at her knowledge of Vincent Van Gogh.'

For the hour nothing was said by either Marie or Edd. Edd did the lines he had to do for his English teacher and then moved onto his math work. But as he started the algebraic problems he was reminded that Marie was in the class, and he looked up at her.  
She is leaning back in her chair with her head hanging over the back look straight up at the ceiling. 'So she was caught smoking in the restroom, I never peg her as a smoker, but then again we know little to nothing about Marie.' How much his next thought would impact and change his life was something Edd wouldn't see coming, that nine little words would be the start of something big and unforeseeable. 'It wouldn't hurt to inquire a little about her.'

* * *

AN: You know, I tired to write a FF about something other then Marie and Edd, yet here I am with another one on my favorite paring. I accept the fact that they are just the medium of my art and I hope you all like this one, it's going to be another long one too.


	2. Simple Starts

The following morning Edd was less enthusiastic about school. When he told his parents about his punishment for needing to wear his hat he got very little sympathy and they told him to just bear with it.  
So after showering, brushing his teeth and giving his face a deep cleaning, the excess sweating he did in Physical Education was sure to fill his pores with filth that needed to be cleaned, he made his way downstairs for breakfast.  
"We can do this Eddward, it will only take about three months to grow our hair out to be long enough, and then another month after that and we'll be done with detention. April is not that far away and will leave us with about, half… of June without detention." Edd sighs, he was basically going to spend the majority of the school year in detention after school, and he dreaded what that could do to any college application in the future. 

* * *

After eating and gathering his friends, and making sure they had the proper clothing for Physical Education, Edd along with Ed and Eddy made their way to school. But once they reached the old building Edd hand to part ways with Ed and Eddy.  
"The Headmaster said I was to be moved into a different homeroom today and I need to inquire about that in the office." Edd said as he removed his jacket and stowed it in the boy's locker.  
"Eddy! We are losing our friend to this prison! It is only a matter of time before the cave monsters take us!" Ed yells, over exenterating the situation.  
Eddy slaps Ed across the face to bring him back to reality. "Can it Lumpy. There are no cave monsters, just a crap ton of stupid rules."  
"Structure builds order Eddy, and order leads to productivity which leads to a better world."  
"I saw that over the door of the library yesterday." Eddy says recalling the line Edd just said.  
"It's also written on the inside too. I ran out of activities during the last twenty minutes of my detention yesterday."  
"Get a book Double Dee."

Edd made the trip to the administration office much faster than the day before and found the same woman sitting behind the desk typing again.  
"Excuse me." He says drawing the woman's attention. "Headmaster Moon said I was going to be moved to a new Homeroom today and I came to inquire about which one."  
The woman stops her typing and looks up at Edd. "Eddward correct?"  
"Yes Ma'am."  
The woman picks a piece of paper up from her desk and hands it to Edd. "You are being moved to Homeroom B4 with Doctor Quinn. She has already been informed of the move and of your special circumstance. A demerit will be given for the new schedule."  
Any hops of the second day of school not having any problems left Edd at the mention of the demerit. "But I don't need a new schedule, I have several copies of my own."  
"It's already been printed kid, and rules are rules."  
Edd almost wanted to curse, but he kept his composure and took the schedule from the office worker. "Thank you Miss, I hope you have a good day."  
The lady doesn't respond back to Edd, she just looks away and starts her typing again.

Edd checked his pocket watch once out of the office and saw he had about five minutes until Homeroom period started, so he chose to make for there forgoing seeing the rest of his friends in the cafeteria.

He takes a seat in the front after checking in with the teacher, a young blond woman with thick rimmed glasses.  
Edd pulls out his homework he did the day before to go over it just as someone he is beginning to see more and more of despite her not wanting anything to do with him walks into the classroom.  
Marie saw Edd and quickly made a beeline to the back row. "Fuck." She said under her breath as she sat down.  
Edd had watched her walk past, but refrained from turning his head. 'Well she still seems to dislike me.'  
A minute later May and Lee came into the classroom wiping lipstick off of their lips with pieces of cloth. "We'll look who it is May, our boys friend." Lee says spotting Edd.  
"I wondered where you were." May ads.  
Edd's kind nature kept him from ignoring the sisters. "Hello May, hello Lee." He says as they move to stand in front of his desk in an attempt to intimidate him, which worked.  
Lee drops her palm down onto the desk with enough force to cause Edd to jump. "Look at him May, always being nice to everyone."  
"Yeah, Double Dee is always a goody two shoes. Makes me wonder why Marie gave up on him."  
May's words fired up Edd's curiosity. "You don't know why she has abandoned her, unique, form of affection?"  
Lee leaned down closer to Edd. "No, but if you need a filler I'm sure May and me can fit you into our schedule."  
Edd started to sweat a large amount of fear sweat. "No no no, that is quite alright, I am sure you have your hands full with Ed and Eddy."  
"That we do." Lee says grinning a very evil grin before May and her walked away from Edd's desk.  
'So Lee and May don't know what caused Marie to give up either.' 

* * *

After Homeroom Edd found Ed and Eddy in their English class with several lipstick stains on their faces. "May and Lee I take it?" Edd asks as he sat down next to this friends.  
The look on Eddy's face was all the answer Edd needed. "They were waiting outside our Homeroom. This school is going to be hell Double Dee."  
"May kissed me Double Dee! She kissed me on the lips and touched my cheek! I'm going to die of cooties!" Edd exclaimed.  
Edd pinches the brim of his nose out of frustration for the day, but then an idea came to him. One he wish he had years ago. "I know the way to stop cooties Ed."  
Ed's face lights up. "You do Double Dee?"  
"What are you getting at Sock Head?" Eddy asked confused.  
Ignoring Eddy and his question Edd says; "Why yes Ed. The cure for cooties is quite simple actually. All you have to do is shower every day with clean water and scrub your whole body with soap."  
The look on Eddy's face told Edd that he didn't believe it would work, that something so simple wouldn't get their friend to start bathing daily.  
"That is all I have to do Double Dee?" Ed asks.  
Edd nods. "Yes Edd, and wear clean clothing. In fact I think you should give your whole room a good cleaning too, to help kill any pockets of cooties that might be in there."  
"A O K Double Dee. I'll tell my mom today."

After the first period of the day Ended Eddy took to congratulating Edd on his major accomplishment with their friend. "Great Job Double Dee. If this works Ed won't kill plant life as he walked by."  
"Thank you Eddy, we should probably inform his parents about this so they may play along as well."  
"You got Ed to clean up and Marie to leave you alone, now you just gotta fill Ed and me in on how you did it and we can be Kanker free too."  
"I don't know what I did to drive Marie away from bullying me, and neither do her sisters."  
"Damn, well who really understands those Kankers anyway."  
"Well, we do know very little about them…" 

* * *

For the next two weeks Edd found himself first observing the Kanker Sisters whenever he could to try and solve the mystery that has sprung up over his currant freedom from them. His first observation was visual observations, how the sisters looked.  
He never really looked at the sisters before, it was always a see and run sort of thing with them. But now he was actively watching them.  
Like the rest of the teens he knew, the sisters have grown into young adults, each in their own unique way, as what he assumed was there fifteenth year of aging.  
Lee has added almost a foot to her height over the years and gained a bit of muscle mass to go with it, but seemed to have not gained much growth in the pectoral area in contrast.  
May had grown too, not nearly as much as Lee and was close to being unhealthily thin, but where Lee had lacked growth May has surpassed her by several letters in size.  
And then there was Marie. She like her sisters has grown in height, about a head shorter than Edd at his five and a half feet, and while she too was thin, it was nothing like May, nor is she as underdeveloped as Lee was in the upper body area. For lack of a better way to describe her, Marie, to Edd any way, had a near perfect form for an unathletic teenage girl. A thought he almost didn't believe he had. 

* * *

By the end of his fifth week of observing Marie he had acquired a good amount of data on her, all kept in a small notebook. He never intended to start taking notes on Marie, he just ended up getting more details about her that he couldn't keep it straight in his head.  
Some of the things he has discovered is that she has a black hard cover book of some kind that she does something with, but he has yet to see the inside of it. She does in fact smoke, much to Edd's disappointment in that she is shortening her lifespan doing so, but he found that she would only smoke if people were around to see, like when the kids were leaving the school or were outside the school on the grounds. 'To keep people away?' Edd had wondered as he wrote down this observation. There was also times that Edd would catch her looking off into the distance as if in a daydream. And when she did this, she didn't look like the current Marie, mad and annoyed. She looked lonely and wanting, of what Edd would not understand for several months. 

* * *

As the weeks went by Edd's detention became more of indentured servitude to the library, which he didn't mind, he did want to inquire into if the librarian needed an assistant.  
The woman he checked in with on the first day of his detention was the head librarian, an aging lady named Mrs. Parker.  
It started out with Mrs. Parker asking Edd to lift a large box of book onto a cart for her. "Thank you dear, you can go sit back down."  
Edd smiled at the gray haired woman. "I am happy to help any way I can. And I have to say your library is quite amazing."  
"Well thank you Eddward."

After this incident Edd would help Mrs. Parker again and again with little tasks until one day when he entered the library for his daily detention to find Headmaster Moon standing by the librarian's desk.  
"Good afternoon Headmaster." Edd says greeting the head of the school.  
Headmaster Moon looked at his pocket watch. "You go here rather quick for it being a punishment."  
"Well I try to be as punctual as I can with my life, and I honestly have to say I enjoy the library, it is an amazing collection of paper bound knowledge." Edd says as his enthusiasm for the library shows.  
"Well Mrs. Parker has conveyed your interest in the library to me and I come to inform you of a change to your ongoing punishment."  
Edd started to worry that because he was enjoying the time spend in the library that he will be moved out of it for his detentions. "As of today your punishment will no longer be detention, you will now be reporting to Mrs. Parker as her new assistant. You will help her in filing books away into the shelves, cleaning the library, and any other tasks she has for you to do."  
Edd's eyes grew wide. "Really? You mean I can help out in the library?"  
Headmaster Moon smiles. "Yes Eddward, you have shown that you are a model student and your punishment is a bit unfair due to the circumstances. Now I expect you to show Mrs. Parker the same devotion you seem to be showing your studies." And with that Headmaster Moon walked out of the library leaving Edd and Mrs. Parker alone.  
Edd turned Mrs. Parker. "Thank you so much Mrs. Parker, I promise I won't let you down."  
"I'm sure you won't Eddward, now be a dear and put these books away for me, they go in the section on meteorology on the second floor." 

* * *

After a week of working as an assistant in the library, which Edd still loved, he was approached by Mrs. Parker to tutor a student who is failing Intro to Algebra.  
"I understand that you are maintaining a perfect grade in the subject and I figured you would be the best to help them."  
"I would be more then happy to lend my help Mrs. Parker."

And so the next day Edd sat at an empty table in the library with his own Algebra book and notes from the class ready to help whoever needed it.  
He is sitting with a smile waiting, but when the student who needed tutoring walked into the library his smile left.  
Marie had walked in, and after exchanging a few quick words with Mrs. Parker, who pointed at Edd as they talked, Marie turned and walked into the library.  
"Fuck." She said under her breath as she approached Edd.  
Edd put his smile back on, dispute still having a fear of Marie. "Hello Marie."  
Marie drops down in the chair across from Edd. "I'm here so let's get this tutoring going." She says dropping her bag onto the table.  
Edd's eyes quickly scan her bag and sees a patch of the blue fabric that has once had writing on it but has been scribbled over with black marker. He could just make out the shape of a heart and what appeared to be a plus sign in the middle.  
Edd shakes his head and clears his thoughts. "Yes well I thought we would start by going over your notes, see what you've written down and get an understanding of where your understanding of the subject stands."  
Marie rips open the zipper of her bag and pulls out a beaten up notebook. "Knock yourself out."  
When Marie opened her bag Edd finally got a clear look at the mysterious black hard cover notebook. 'The notebook! It looks old and well used. But for what?' Edd thinks putting to memory that he finally got a closer look at it.  
He picked up the notebook she tossed at him and opens it and sees that there is hardly anything written down. "I see that note taking is not something you found to be important."  
"Oh wow you figured that out just by looking at my notebook Edd? Wow you really are soo smart." Marie's sarcasm didn't faze Edd, he gets it all the time, what threw him off was the fact that she called him Edd and not Double Dee.  
Edd raised an eyebrow at Marie out of confusion, but quickly shook it off. "Well I think the first thing we need to do is to get you to understand that taking notes during class can help get the information to stick easier. Even just copying the problems we go over in class will help."  
Marie rolls her eyes. "Fine I'll copy the stupid problems if it'll keep you off my back."  
"Thank you, now how about the homework that is due tomorrow from yesterday? Have you started on that?"  
Marie sighs and pulls a crumpled sheet of paper out of her bag and tosses it onto the table. Not to Edd's surprise Marie had only written her name on the worksheet. "Ok then, let's start with problem one…"

Edd did his best to get Marie to work on the assignment on her own, but it was becoming more of him telling her step by step what to do.  
"Ok, this one is exactly like the last one. I'm not going to give you any help and I want you to try doing it on your own." After giving Marie her instructions Edd went to checking over his own assignment. As he looked over the problems on his own work a metal clinking sound started to happen.  
 ***clinking* *clinking clinking*  
** Edd looks up and sees Marie staring at her paper with her chin resting in one hand and spinning something shiny in the other. It was the shiny object that was making the noise.  
Marie looks up from Edd. "What?" She asks stopping her spinning.  
When Marie stopped spinning the mystery object Edd saw what it was and felt the blood run from his face. "Marie. Is that a butterfly knife?" he asks recognizing what it was.  
Marie looks at her knife and then back to Edd. "And what if it is?" She asks making a very complex spin with the knife.  
"You know that knives of any kind not allowed on school grounds, and I believe that butterfly knives are banned in Peach Creek." He says not taking his eyes off the knife. He couldn't help but admired her skill with spinning the knife as he spoke, but after he finished his statement, Marie stopped the spinning and pointed the knife at him.  
"You going to rat on me?"  
Edd gulped. "No, but you shouldn't have it out at the very least. That would surely get you expelled from the school."  
Marie looks from Edd to her knife and then back to Edd. "Fine, ya big baby." She says as she spun the knife closed and stowed it away.  
Edd let out a sigh of relief, the last thing he wanted was for Marie to be seen with a weapon, with how stick the school is he too might get in trouble for just being in proximity of the knife.

In the end Edd had to help Marie with every problem on the worksheet. "Well that is the end of the homework, I hope you will go over it at home to try and get a better understanding of it."  
"I won't." Marie says as she gets up from the table. "And just so you know, you tell anyone, ANYONE, about my little toy, I will make it so you can't ever fuck someone."  
Edd's mouth fell open out of shock from the threat and the choice of words Marie used. He couldn't even find any words to respond back with as she walked out of the library.

That night Edd added the details about the mysterious black notebook to his notes on Marie and the new information that she seems perfectly fine with causing him bodily harm.  
"Marie seems to really see me as just another student, not caring at all for my well being like she did prior to the destruction of PCH." He wrote under the added notes. 

* * *

Edd hopped that the tutoring of Marie would be a onetime thing, but it turned out that Professor Grimm wanted Marie to get help from Edd until her grade reached and maintained a C average.  
So a few days later Edd sat at the same table waiting to help Marie again. He was starting to grow confidence around her now that he didn't have to look over his shoulder in fear of her, but he still felt a small about of worry when she came into the library again.  
"Good afternoon Marie." He says giving her a smile as she sat down across from him.  
"What's so good about it? I'm stick in the stupid place longer again."  
Edd thinks quickly for a proper response that Marie might buy. "Well we did watch that documentary in Fine Arts today, I'm sure you must have enjoyed that."  
Marie narrows her eyes. "What makes you think that?"  
"It's obviously your favorite class, you are even doing better than me in it." Edd says as he opened his textbook.  
Marie glares at him. "We're here for math, so drop it."  
Edd decided to drop the small talk and focus on the task at hand. "Ok, so today we were supposed to go over pages…"

Edd did his best to help Marie with her math homework, but she either didn't get the material, or didn't care too, so it was much like the first time of tutoring where he gave her step by step instructions on how to do the work. 

* * *

Edd continued his observation of Marie to hopefully find a way to help his friends, but there was starting to be times when he would just watch her without taking mental or physical notes on her. He was becoming fascinated with her and it was during Physical Education that a spark of something Edd has never felt before happened.

Physical Education was not nearly as brutal as it was on the first day of school now that the students all were dressed in the proper clothing, a grey t-shirt and blue shorts or sweatpants. But Edd suspect that the teacher of Physical Education got enjoyment from working the students to exhaustion. The teacher, Coach Watson, would have them do a wide arrange of stretches and exercises before making them do very demanding activities, this day was dodge ball.  
Coach Watson divided the class in half, tossed in half a dozen red rubber balls, and let the teens go crazy.

No surprise Edd was quickly hit out and was the first one on the bench of his side. As Edd stat there nursing the area on his upper arm where the ball hit him he watched the others play the game.  
His eyes fell on Ed who was running around laughing and somehow dodging every ball throw at him. The trick Edd played on Ed had worked and Ed has gone to bathing on a daily basis, though the first day after the trick Ed had scrubbed his skin raw in several places and Edd had to inform him that there was no need to scrub that hard. Ed's luck on dodging balls ran out as he turned around, he took a rubber ball to the back of the head and stumbled.  
"You're out." Coach Watson says holding back a laugh.  
Ed hung his head as he walked over to join Edd on the bench. "Good try out there Ed." Edd says patting Ed on the back as he sat down.  
"Thanks Double Dee."  
Edd nor Ed noticed who was watching Ed as he ran around and then was hit out. May, while hardly participating in the throwing and dodging of the game, had her eyes on Ed and when he was sent to the bench she had an idea. Plotting and scheming was never her strong point, but she was sure this one would result in some Kanker style fun.  
She was put on the same side as Ed and Edd, but opposite of her sisters. "Hey Lee!" She yelled at her eldest sister, who happened to have a ball in her hand.  
"What?" Lee yelled back.  
May didn't say anything, she just blew a raspberries at her sister. This made Lee mad and she threw the ball at her sister, who didn't even try to dodge it.  
"You're out." Coach Watson say as May fell to the ground from the force of Lee's ball throw.  
May picks herself up off the gym floor. "Thanks." May walks over to the bench where Ed and Edd were sitting and talking, about what she didn't care, she had a plan to make her Ed panic. A look she happens to enjoy seeing on him. "Hi ya boys." She says dropping down very close to Ed on the bench.  
Having to share a homeroom with the Kanker Sisters Edd has become less bothered by them, especially with Marie not bothering with him at all and only acknowledging his existence during tutoring. But not Ed. He still feared May and with biology doing what it does best to growing teen bodies, pore Ed was losing his mind as May moved even closer to him.  
"Um…" Ed says as his eyes jump from May's face to below her neckline and back up rapidly.  
The Kanker sisters were able to obtain the proper gym wear for the class, second hand of corse, and the thinning grey shirt and shorter than they should be shorts May had on did exactly what she wanted the clothing to do, make Ed feel uncomfortable.  
May saw Ed's eyes moving up and down and chose to take advantage of his obvious interest in her growing features. She moves from sitting next to Ed to kneeling on the bench and leaning forward closing the gap between them to a few inches all the while saying; "Is something wrong Ed? You look a little red."  
Ed's face was burning red and he was sweating perfectly. His mind just didn't know how to react to the situation before him. "Um Double Dee… help me." He says as he backed into Edd.  
Edd wasn't paying attention to what May was doing to his friend. His focus had been on Marie. She was dodging the balls that came at her with ease and very little effort so she hadn't broken a sweat at all. Which Edd found to be interesting as she was the only other student, apart from himself, that opted to wear sweatpants as the lower half of the gym uniform.  
A ball hit a boy that was next to Marie and as he walked off to the bench for that side Marie picked up the ball and looked at it. She spins the ball around on her finger and then holds it in one hand as she uses the index finger and thumb of the other to measures the ball's circumference. Edd didn't hear it, but Marie said the words; "Huh, interesting" as she measured the ball remembering some of things Edd has shown her during their tutoring sessions.  
Marie looked up just in time to see a ball come flying at her head, with nanoseconds to spare she leaned away from the oncoming ball dodging out of the way. Marie then glared at the boy who threw the ball at her and threw her own at him.  
And for some reason Edd couldn't comprehend, the word cute passed through his head as he watched Marie dodge the ball. For a reason he doesn't see yet, Edd found the way Marie looked when she dodged the ball to be cute, but he couldn't think more on it as to the fact that Ed had just backed into him knocking him off the bench and causing Ed to fall backwards.  
May took the opportunity of Ed's guard being down to pounce. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and gave him a long kiss on the lips followed by a playful bite to his lower lip. "There is more where that came from Big Boy."  
"Ms. Kanker! No PDA! That is detention after school. Hit the showers, you're done for the day." Coach Watson yelled at the sight of May kissing Ed.  
May got up from Ed. "Worth it." She says as she walks off to the girls locker room swaying her hips in hopes of Ed looking at her.  
But he didn't see her walk away, he had fallen all the way onto his back. "Double Dee, am I dead?" he asks as Edd stands up from the floor.  
Edd grabs Ed's arm and pulls him back into a sitting position. "No Ed. While I am sure May kissing you in such a manner must have been quite a shock, something like that would not be able to kill you. Scare you and confuse you to no end yes, but not do any massive harm to you."  
Ed touched his lip where May bit him. "She bit me Double Dee, am I going to get infected?!"  
"Did she cause you to bleed Ed?"  
"No, but it felt very strange. Do you think she is becoming a vampire?"  
"No Ed, May is not becoming a vampire, I think she is just… growing into more adult ways. It is going to happen to everyone eventually." 

* * *

The following weekend Edd took a solo trip to the Peach Creek Mall to look for a new book on Entomology, the school didn't have any clubs on the subject which disappoint Edd. He didn't invite Eddy or Ed as to the fact they would almost certainly find several ways to get into trouble and cause mischief that Edd just didn't want to deal with. He wanted a nice quiet trip to the book shop, and maybe a nice cup of tea from the café.  
Walking around the bookstore was one of Edd's favorite things to do by himself. It was quiet, lit with soft lights that don't strain his eyes, and the smell of the lavender plants kept in the café could be smelled throughout the shop. This was Edd's personal happy place, and he would never let anything or anyone take that away from him.  
Walking out of the rows of book shelves, having not found any books he didn't already own, Edd made for the café to get that tea and just relax in the silence for a bit. But when he looked into the café he stopped. Sitting in the café with her black book was Marie. This is the first time Edd has seen here outside of school since the fall and took in her street clothes. She had on faded blue jeans with writing on them and a rip in the left knee, a black shirt with no sleeves and a white skull that appeared to have been spray painted on, her traditional pink belt, and a black zip up hoodie.  
Feeling emboldened by being in his happy place and with no one around that he knew Edd walks over to the table where Marie is sitting.  
 ***Ahem*** "May I join you?" He asks once he was next to Marie's table When he reached the table he saw that she had a black cloth band around her wrist that he found odd and wondered the point of.  
She looks up at him from her book, that she had resting at an angle on the edge of the table so Edd couldn't see what was in it, and her eyes narrow at the sight of Edd. But her Kanker ways of manipulation kick in and she gets an idea. "Buy me a coffee and maybe." She didn't think Edd would do it and when he walked away she was sure she'd gotten rid of him and she went back to what she was doing prior to Edd's arrival. But when he returned with a paper cup and a ceramic mug she was honestly surprised he listened to her.  
"I hope a simple latte is ok." He says setting the cup down in front of her.  
Marie grabs the cup and takes a drink from the plastic lid. She looks at the cup, she's only ever had watered down black coffee and the one that Edd brought her was like a whole new world of coffee. Glaring because she really likes the drink, she jesters for Edd to sit down.

For several minutes Edd and Marie just sit in silence as they drank their respective drinks. Marie continued to look threw her black book actively not making eye contact with Edd, who is sitting and just watching her as if she was a subject of great importance.  
Finally when it was becoming painfully obviously that Edd was watching her Marie looked up at him and says; "What do you want?"  
Edd hadn't wanted anything when he initially sat down, but now that he has the opportunity he took the chance to ask a question that has been on his mind for the past month and a few weeks. "I'm curious as to why you no longer have an interest in terrorizing me as you sisters do with Ed and Eddy."  
Marie looks back down at her book. "I got bored of you."  
"Bored? I was unaware that I was boring." Edd fully knows that most of the things he does and enjoys is considered boring by the other teens, but he was curious none the less about why she found him boring.  
"Yeah you are. You are a boring nerd that does the same crap day in and day out. Always predictable, and always showing off how smart you are." Marie was starting to get angry at Edd. Seeing him at school and being forced to be tutored by him was one thing, but seeing him outside the school was too much.  
Edd shrugs his shoulders. "Well, I guess I apologize for being who I am. I am a very routine driven left minded person, it's who I am."  
"Like I said, boring."  
"Would you ask of me to change who I am? I wouldn't of you, and I honestly hope you are a better person than that Marie." Edd didn't think his words would have any effect on Marie, but they did.  
Very quickly she stands and closes her book. She kept her head down so he couldn't see her face. "You are just like all the other men in this world, you don't ever know what you're saying or what you are doing."  
Marie grabs her cup of coffee and storms away leaving Edd feeling very confused. "Ok…" He says as he watched her walk away. 

* * *

Back at the Park n' Flush Marie slams the front door shut of the sky blue trailer and storms up the stairs to the second floor ignoring Lee's yelling about not slamming the door.  
"Jesus, what is her problem?" Lee asks looking back at the TV sitting across from the old couch her and May are sitting on.  
May shrugs. "Who knows with her anymore, she's changed so much it's almost like she isn't our sister anymore."  
Lee punches May in the shoulder. "No matter what changes happen, we're Kankers for life. We stick together and have each other's backs, no matter what."  
May rubs her arm. "I know I know, I just worry that something big is wrong."

Up the stairs and in the bedroom the three sisters share Marie is lying across the queen size bed that the sisters have to share looking at the now empty coffee cup. 'That was too easy to get him to buy this.' She thinks. 'He's too nice sometimes.' She drops her hand with the cup down onto the bed.  
She then thinks back on the last thing he said to her, that he would never ask her to change and that he thinks that she is a better person. "You are too nice a guy Edd…"  
She started to smile as memories of all the "fun" she's had with him came to mind, though the fun to Marie was all the chasing, attacking and tormenting she did to him. But then more recent memories came back to her and her smile left. She remembered what she saw in the fall, of the anger and heartache she felt that lead to the act of frustration that was her part of what happened to cause the gym to collapse.  
"Fuck you." She says as she crushed the cup in her hand. She wanted this new school to be the start of new beginnings for her, but the universe seems to want to keep her in a state of unhappiness. 

* * *

After Marie left Edd sat there drinking his tea in silence. He isn't sure what Marie meant by him being just like all the other men in the world and not knowing what he is saying. 'You really are an interesting person Marie.' He thinks as his phone vibrates in his pocket.  
It was a message from his mother informing him that dinner will be ready in an hour and that he should be coming home.  
Edd quickly took his mug to the counter, thanks the barista and then leaves the bookstore still confused about Marie and the very short, but informative conversation they had. It wasn't the words exchanged that confused him, or her seeming to get angry at him for reasons he doesn't understand. It was this odd sense of drawing he felt to Marie as they sat at the table, like his being wanted to be there with her.  
"Maybe it is just my observing her and my want to understand what has happened that is causing this." He says coming up with a reason for this odd almost pinching feeling he felt.

When he reached his home he quickly greeted his parents and went up to his bedroom to add some more notes to his Marie File, it's what he's come to calling the notebook with his observations on Marie in.  
After adding the new information he gathered at the bookstore he reads and rereads the notes. And as he reads over the short two lines about the game of dodgeball for the third time he feels the same odd drawing feeling he felt at the bookstore. 'Well, it's not like Marie ISN'T attractive.'


	3. Embers to Flames

The next day at school Edd is sitting in the cafeteria reviewing his homework. Ed and Eddy had to report to the Fine Arts teacher to explain their lack of finished homework, Edd could only do so much to help his friends, so for once Edd sat alone waiting for school to start.  
"Here"  
Edd looks up, Marie had just set a paper cup down in front of him and was walking away. "What is this for?" He asks.  
Marie stops, but doesn't turn around. "Now we're even."  
Edd takes the lid off the cup and sees that it is latte coffee. 'So she seems to hate me, but felt the need to repay me buying her a coffee?'  
Edd puts the lid back on the cup and takes a drink from it. "Not bad." He says finding enjoyment in the drink  
"I didn't know you drank coffee Double Dee."  
Edd looks behind himself. "Oh, good morning Nazz, yes I do partake occasionally." Edd had never before drank coffee, but it was easier to tell Nazz that he does instead of explaining why Marie gave it to him.  
Nazz sits down next to Edd in time to see Marie disappear into the crowd. "It is really strange seeing her act like this."  
Edd turns to Nazz. "Whom?" He asks taking a drink from the coffee cup.  
"Marie." Nazz points at where the black haired girl disappeared into the crowd. "It's like she doesn't care about reminding people how much of a bad girl she is. Remember back at PCH she would always be vocal about it? Never mind the fact that she doesn't care about you anymore."  
"It is very odd, but changing from who we were as children into whom we will be as adults is part of our teen years." 'Maybe that is it.' Edd thinks as he takes another drink, he really likes this coffee. 'Maybe it is just Marie growing into a young woman and thus her interests changing.'  
"So when is that going to happen to Eddy?" Nazz's question made Edd almost spit his coffee out from laugher.  
"I am sure Eddy will hit maturity at some point." 

* * *

Even though Edd has a potential answer to the question that has plagued him for almost two months now, he didn't want to stop trying to learn more about Marie.  
He would take quick glances at her in Homeroom and Intro to Algebra, would look for, but never see her at lunch, and would find it almost mesmerizing how much she excelled in Fine Arts.  
Whether it was her seemingly vast knowledge on the subjects, or the way she was eager to engage in the conversation of the lesson for the day, Marie defiantly knew her stuff when it came to painting and other forms of art. It amazed him every time Marie knew the answer to a question about a painter that has been dead for hundreds of years, but he also wondered why she never put this kind of effort into the rest of her academics.

It seemed that every afternoon spent trying to help Marie with her Algebra was an uphill battle, that is not to say she isn't improving, just a very minuscule amount. Edd is happy that she is showing the improvement, but he is starting to get more enjoyment from just the time spent with Marie over her improvement.

After Marie figured out a simple problem Edd felt emboldened. "Good job Marie." He says as he reviewed the work she has done.  
"Woo, I did the pointless task, go me." Where Edd was enjoying the tutoring, Marie was looking for a way out of it more and more every week.  
"It is all leading to a grander accomplishment Marie." Edd says with a smile.  
Marie rolls her eyes, Edd's enthusiasm was starting to bug her more and more. "Like I care."  
Edd flips through the pages of his text book looking for an example of the next problem. "I think you should care about keeping your grades up, I care about your grades."  
"Why do you care?" Marie's anger was reaching the boiling point. She kept trying to get Edd to leave her alone, and he keeps being the nice and friendly kind of person that he is.  
Edd looks up from his book and thinks for a second. "Well, friends care about their friends passing their classes."  
Marie balls her fists. "You think we're friends? Why would you ever think I would want to be your friend?"  
Edd shrugs his shoulders, he wasn't thinking too far into the conversation on hand. "Friends buy each other coffee."  
Marie pushes her chair back swiftly knocking it over as she stands up. "Were not friends, and we will never be." She grabs her book and bag and marches out of the library.  
"What is bothering you so Marie?" Edd says to himself as he watches her walk away. 

* * *

After Marie walked out of the library Edd barely sees her at the school. Marie was actively avoiding him as much as she could by somehow always walking into class just before the bell rings, would be the first out of the class at the end of it, and she was participating less in Fine Arts.  
It should be no surprise that she is not participating as much in Fine Arts, she didn't want to give Edd a reason to look at her like she knows he has been doing for weeks. Marie has also stopped showing up for tutoring after school, but Edd didn't have the heart to report it, something was keeping him from getting her in trouble. 

* * *

Edd took Marie's avoidance as a sign that she really didn't want to be around him, so stopped his observation of her and focused on his day to day and spending more of his free time with his friends.  
Nazz and Kevin turned out to be a very affectionate couple, always kissing, holding hands, and seeming to never be apart. Edd couldn't be happier for them, though he was finding himself a little bit envious of them as they acted lovey dovey with each other.  
Edd also had his hands full with helping Ed, who is in an almost constant state of fear of May. After the day of dodge ball May has become more aggressive with Ed. On top of going for solely kissing Ed on the lips, May has also picked up the habit of giving him playful bites on the lips, ears, and neck. Ed could easily push May off of him and run away when she has him pinned to a locker, but his fear has reached a debilitating state and their own growing bodies weren't helping the situation.  
Oddly enough, the way Lee has been acting with Eddy has been almost the exact opposite of May. She seems to be losing her interest in Eddy and is just going along with the bullying because it's what she does. She hasn't even tried to kiss him in weeks. 

* * *

During a Sunday when the school held Cheer Squad tryouts, some things started to change for the teens of the Cul-de-sac. Nazz attended the tryouts and asked Edd to go if Eddy decided to show up to keep him from "being a full on creep" to her and the other girls that were going to be at the tryouts.  
It wasn't a full tryout for the full team, just to fill a few positions, but Nazz wanted to get her foot in the door for the next year's squad even if she didn't make this cut.  
To Nazz's enjoyment Kevin came to cheer her on, though like she thought he would, Eddy showed up. But Edd was there to keep him from doing anything, and of course because two of the Ed's were somewhere, the third was at the gym of the school as well.  
Nazz sighed a sigh of annoyance as she saw Eddy take a camera out of his pocket as the tryouts started. But she was quickly relieved as Edd took the camera from him.  
'Thank you for being the good guy Double Dee, I will totally get you a date with one of these girls if I get on the team.' Nazz thinks thinking up a way to repay Edd for keeping Eddy in line.  
"Are all you girls ready?" The teacher in charge of the squad, someone Nazz hasn't seen before, asks to the group of half a dozen teen girls.  
The girls nod or voice their agreements. "Good, then let's get started. I'll call your name and then you show me what you can do."  
The teacher called for the first girl, who went out in front of the rest to show off her skills. Nazz thought the girl had some skill as a dancer, but she wasn't very flexible and couldn't do some of the movies she tried.  
"Good job, next is Nazz." The teacher says.  
"Ok Eddy, you know the promise, put the blindfold on." Edd says holding a length of cloth out to Eddy.  
Eddy pushes Edd's hand away. "No way am I missing any of this."  
Kevin, who was sitting a few feet away, gets up and walks over to the Ed's. "Put it on Eddy, or I will pound you." He says punching one fist into the palm of his other hand.  
Eddy takes the cloth from Edd. "Fine." He ties the cloth around his eyes. "There are you happy?"  
Kevin takes a swing at Eddy's face but stops a few inches away from making contact, he just wanted to make sure Eddy really couldn't see his girlfriend in her gymnastics attire. Satisfied Kevin gives Edd a nod of approval before sitting back down.  
Edd returned the nod before he went back to reading the book he had brought with him, "Teenage Physiology". He was still trying to understand Marie, and he thought turning to professional expertise would provide insight, but he has yet to find anything to add to his findings on Marie. 

* * *

Eddy was only meant to wear the blindfold for just Nazz's tryout, but Eddy couldn't hear the teacher congratulating Nazz on her performance and call the next student, so Edd left the blindfold on. 'This is why you should have paid attention when I tried to show you how to notice the passing of time.' Edd thought as the fourth girl started her try.  
"Am I still in time?" The boys know this voice, Edd looks up from his book, Eddy rips off the blindfold and Ed, who was reading a comic book the whole time, looks over at the door where the voice came from.  
May had just walked into the gym in old sweatpants and her gym shirt with her hair pulled back into a ponytail.  
"Ah, there you are Ms. Kanker, you almost lost your chance." The teacher says looking over at May.  
May smiles wide and runs over to the group of girls, who all sneer at her as she approaches, say for Nazz who is shocked to see a Kanker Sister at a cheerleader event that didn't involve the sisters using water balloons to reap havoc.  
"May, May Kanker, wants to be a cheerleader?" Kevin says looking over at the Ed's.  
"I'm putting the blindfold back on." Eddy says tying the piece of cloth back over his eyes.  
Edd closes his book and sets it on his lap. "Well logically it is to be expected that the sisters would want to try new things as they age."  
Kevin turns back around. "So long as she doesn't mess with my Nazz, I don't care what they do."

May was starting to lose the confidence she had when she entered the gym. She was constantly getting looks from the girls that were proper students of the private school, and she didn't know Ed would be there too.  
May looks over at the boys sitting on the sidelines. 'Why did they have to be here, how can I do my best if Ed is here.' Her palms start to sweat out of nervousness.  
"May, it's your turn." The teacher says.  
May's nerves skyrocket now that it was her turn, and Nazz saw this. Despite the history Nazz has with the Kankers, she couldn't help but feel sympathy for May. So she give May a gentle nudge with her elbow. "Hey, you got this." She whispers.  
May looks up at Nazz, who gives her a smile and a thumbs up. The vote of confidence from the unlikely source helped May, who gave Nazz a half smile back.  
May takes a deep breath and walks out onto the floor. "I um, don't know how to dance… what should I do?" She hadn't planned out anything to do for the tryouts, she spent all her time trying to figure out how to get away from her sisters so she could get to the tryouts.  
The other girls, not counting Nazz, laughed. "Just show us what you can do and do your best." The teacher says also giving May a smile.  
May takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. "Ok." She then closes her eyes and proceeds to show off all the skills she's practiced in private away from her sisters. She does a few high kicks, a cartwheel done flawlessly, followed up by the splits, something that some of the other girls weren't able to do themselves. And to finishes off her try outs she attempts a jump splits, but misses and ends up falling on her butt. 'Fuck.' She thinks as pain shoots through her backend.  
"Good job girls, I will post the additions to the team in the locker room on Monday." The teacher walks off towards the locker room as the private school girls walk laughing in the direction of the exit.  
May assumed that her mess-up at the end cost her the already slim chance of her getting on the team. She sit on the floor pouting as the gym emptied not wanting to get up.  
A hand appeared in front of May. "You did good May." May looks up to see Nazz offering her a hand up.  
Reluctantly May takes the hand and pulls herself up. Without her sisters around May didn't see the need to be snappy. "I still fell on my ass, I knew I shouldn't have tried this."  
"Don't say that, you really did a good job for being a beginner. Where did you learn to do any of that stuff anyway? I thought the Kankers were too tough for girly stuff like this." Nazz asks curios as she picks up her school bag that she brought with her to keep some things in.  
May blushes out of embarrassment, she never thought she would have to tell anyone where she learned what she knew. "From watching football with my mom and sisters." She says quietly.  
Nazz understood. "You want to be a football cheerleader?" she asks as the two girls walk to the exit together.  
May shrugged her shoulders. "It just looked like fun, but I don't think I should ever bother with it again." May hangs her head in shame at herself.  
Seeing May feel sorry for herself pulled at Nazz's heart strings. "Hey." She puts her arm around May's shoulders. "If you really want to give this a real try, I can help you practice."  
May looks up at Nazz, she's never shown any form of real kindness to her before, and May hasn't exactly been a nice person to Nazz either. "Why, Why help me of all people?"  
"Because us PCH girls have to stick together. We have to show these private school chicks that we're here to stay, for a year anyways, and we are going to shake up this school." Nazz takes her arm off May and reaches into her bag and pulls out a scrap of paper and a pen. She quickly writes seven numbers down before handing it to May. "Here's my cell number, give me a call sometime and we can start our revolution one dance move at a time."  
May takes the piece of paper, she never thought Nazz would want to help her with anything, let alone hold a conversation with her like they are. "I'll think about it."  
Nazz gives her a nod and a smile before she made her leave of May. And when she was a good few feet away from her, Nazz turned and says to May; "Oh and by the way, Ed couldn't keep his eyes off you."  
Upon hearing this May's eyes grew wide followed by her smiling from ear to ear. 

* * *

Ed in fact couldn't take his eyes off of May as she performed in the gym, and the sight of her not acting like Ed's mind knows how she acts confused him and kept him quiet as the boys walked around the mall.  
The boys didn't have a shopping agenda for the trip, they just didn't have anything to do that they could agree on. They walked around the large building full of shops and stand alone food vendors, or "autonomous unit for mid-mall snacking" as Edd called them when the debate of whether the cookie stand counts as part of the food court or not came up.

The boys eventually end up at the food court for a late lunch. Being the three very different people that they are, they all got something different from the different stands and met up at a table. Ed got a whole pizza and an extra large cup of soda. Eddy a hamburger and fries. And Edd went a healthier rout of a salad, but he also got a latte from a coffee shop to drink.  
"I can't believe you took my camera away Double Dee." Eddy says as the boys sit down to eat.  
Edd carefully unfolds a napkin onto his lap. "Well I couldn't let you take pictures of the girls' tryouts Eddy. Not only is that horribly rude and insensitive of you, but I do believe it could be grounds to have you marked as particular type of offender and be forced to have your name publicly put on a list of those unsavory types, that you would be on for life."  
Eddy rolls his eyes, he thinks Edd is making too big of a deal about him wanting to take pictures of the girls. "It was just pictures Sock Head, it's not like I wanted to go into the locker room after them."  
Edd looks off to the side for a quick thought and spots a head of black hair that reminded him of Marie and he gets a very clever idea. "Well Eddy, what if I had let you take those pictures, and then Lee found out that you were taking pictures of her little sister? Do you think she would let you continue with such acts? Let alone breathe? She would most certainly hurt you to the point of exasperation Eddy. So look at it as me keeping you from a large amount of pain and potential jail time."  
Eddy takes a bite of his burger in anger. "Fine, you win." He hated that Edd has once again used logic to outwit him. "Why was May even at the tryouts, Kankers aren't into girly things." He asks wondering what the youngest of the Kankers was doing at the tryouts.  
Edd takes a drink from his coffee. "I can't say why Eddy. Perhaps cheering is something she has enjoyed outside of our knowing."  
"I'm just glad I didn't have to watch May."  
"She didn't do that badly Eddy, right Ed?" Edd asks looking at the tall boy, who has already eaten half his pizza.  
Ed didn't know what to say about May, his brain was yelling to be afraid and to run when he spotted her, but for some reason he couldn't keep his eyes off her. "Umm..."  
"Ed's with me, she probably sucked and deserved the laughs she got."  
"No one should be laughed at when they aren't being funny Eddy." Ed says, Edd's constant attempts at teaching Ed to be a good person kicked in.  
Edd smiles and nods at Ed. "Very good Ed. He is right Eddy, you should never mock someone with laughter, it hurts and is not the decent thing to do."

After eating their lunch the boys decided to head back to the Cul-de-sack, having nothing of interest to do at the mall. As they were walking to the exit Edd sees the same black hair he saw before, only this time he sees that it was Marie's black hair. She was in a pen and paper shop looking at various pens and has a notebook similar to the black one Edd has seen her with in her hand. 'Interesting, why would Marie be in that shop? They only carry paper products and writing utensils.' Edd thinks as the Ed's walk past the shop. Seeing Marie outside of school again brought that drawing feeling back again and he wondered why he is feeling like this. 

* * *

Later that night after eating dinner with his parents Edd is sitting in his room looking over his notes he's taken about Marie. He's been thinking about Marie all night and has come to the realization that what he has been doing was quite inappropriate, and kind of creepy too. "I'm sorry for my actions Marie. I promise to abandon my observations of you." He says as there is a knock at his room door.  
"Eddward." His father say through the door.  
Edd looks at his door. "Yes Father?"  
His father opens the room door. "You got a minute to talk son?"  
Edd nods to his father. "Always Father."  
Edd moves over on his bed to make room for his father to sit down. "Son, you're not a little boy anymore, you're growing into a young man. And I think it's time I have a little talk with you about women and what they are going to mean to you…"

Edd knew the scientific parts of puberty so the information his father gave him on that subject wasn't new or confusing to him. However, the emotional and hormonal changes that Edd, his friends, and more importantly the girls he knows will be going threw at the same time as him made his father's Birds and the Bees talk the most awkward conversation he has ever had with his Father.  
"I hope you understand all of this Eddward." Edd's face was red from embarrassment.  
"I." Edd clears his throat "I do father." Edd had never before wanted to get out of his father's presence before, but he desperately wanted a way out now.  
Edd's father pats him on the back. "Good. I know you are a smart young man Eddward and I know you will always be cautious and safe, but never let your emotions take control and lead you into doing something that you will end up regretting afterwards."  
Edd felt more embarrassed by his father. "I won't. I should be getting ready for bed Father, school in the morning and all." Edd didn't have to get ready for bed quite yet, but it was the only thing he could think of saying to his father that was mostly correct to get himself out of this conversation.  
Edd's father knew that Edd still had time before it was time for the family to call it a night, but he also understood that Edd wanted out of the conversation. "Alright Son. You have a good night's rest."  
"You too Father." 

* * *

The next morning Edd didn't walk over to get Eddy and Ed before walking to school. After weeks of waiting and of spending several minutes each day in the morning brushing his hair into different ways, Edd's hair is finally long enough to conceal his scar. His hair is no longer a messy pile on his head, it is straight and parted do the middle just barely covering his ears.  
He thought about continuing to wear his hat even though his hair was long enough, but he couldn't break his promise to the Headmaster. So he walks to school alone, with his hands in the pocket of his orange zip up hoodie as the morning wind blows his hair.  
Edd shivers, he has worn his hat for so long that not having it on made his head cold. 'Just something we have to get used to Eddward.' He thinks as he pulls his hood up to fight against the cold wind.

As he walked Edd contemplated on whether he should apologies to Marie for his actions or not, but he thought against it. "Knowing what I was doing would only make it worse, and the last thing I need is for her to have another reason to hate me. I do wish I knew why she does already though." He says as he approaches the gas station.  
The front door of the station opens just as he hits the edge of the parking lot of the station, and out walks Marie in her own black zip up hoodie. Marie pulls her hood up and then reaches into her hoodie pocket. She pulls out a pack of cigarettes just as Edd says, without even thinking, as he stops a few feet away from her; "Good morning Marie."  
Marie is slightly startled, but that doesn't stop her from removing a cigarette from the pack and lighting it. She takes a drag off of the cigarette before responding back to Edd. "What do you mean?" She says. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?" It was still early for Marie so her current mindset isn't like it normally is.  
Edd is confused by her question. "Um, all of them at once?" Is all he could think of to say.  
She rolls her eyes at him and blows a puff of smoke in his general direction before turning to restart her walk to school.  
Edd quickly starts up his own walk, as that starting to become failure drawing feeling pushes him to be nearer to Marie.

Marie sees him get closer to her as they walked the same path, and she only gets annoyed and angry. After almost a block of having Edd following her he spoke up and said something that only fueled the fire of her frustration with him.  
"Marie, if you don't mind me asking, why did you start smoking? Surely you know that it can cause a long list of health problems both in the near and distant future."  
Faster than Edd could make out, Marie flicks away her cigarette and pulls out her butterfly knife and points it at him. "Listen and listen good. What I do with my life is none of your concern. If I wanna smoke and kill myself, then I'm going to smoke and kill myself." She pokes him in the cheek and presses down breaking the skin slightly. "You need to back the fuck off. You lost your only chance with me and you need to knock off all the creeping on me." She pulls her knife away from his face and walks away, wiping the blade clean on her sleeve before flipping it closed.  
Edd is barely keeping himself standing. The fear of the knife nearly knocked him on to the ground, but fear wasn't the only emotion going through Edd. The whole time Marie was yelling at him he was getting lost in her rich blue eyes. He's never seen them up close like that before, and he finds himself finding her eyes to be beautiful.  
"You… you are a beautifully deadly young woman Marie." He whispers to himself just before he succumbs to his emotions and falls to the ground pale faced and heart racing. 

* * *

Edd didn't see any sign of Marie for the rest of the morning, and it was only when he entered his homeroom that he did see her. Sitting in the far back corner with her knees up against the edge of the table sat the teenage girl that gave him the fine cut on his cheek. He told everyone that asked, usually after inquiring about his hair, that he attempted to shave and he made a small mistake. People either believed him, or were more curious about his hair.  
Like Nazz who said; "I know a few girls that will just love your new style Double Dee."  
As Edd sat down in a desk, not looking at Marie at all out of fear, Doctor Quinn walked into the classroom. "Alright students, as I'm sure some of you are aware the Spring Formal is next week. Now for you newer kids it is a time honored tradition of the school to hold a social gathering for the students. There will be a dance that is open to all the students followed by a dinner that you will need to pay for entry. It is a black tie event and if you choose to go you must be dressed in the proper artier, and your school uniform does not count. This is an event to show that you are all respectful young members of society."  
'A school dance? I hope this one is nothing like the last I attended.' Edd thinks as the teacher starts roll call. 

* * *

Later that week Edd is waiting with the rest of the boys to re enter the gym from the tack out behind the school. The class has been split with the girls doing swimming stuff while the boys are doing track and field activities, today they had to run a mile around the track and achieve a minimal time that Edd just barely made.  
"Come on." Eddy groans. "Where is the damn teacher? I wanna get out of these smelly clothes."  
"I'm sure the coach has his reasons for being late." Edd says just as the door to the gym opens.  
The classes teacher walks out holding the door open. "Alright boys, get in and line up against the wall."  
The boys file into the building and line up on the wall next to the door. Just as the last boy enters, the door across from the line of boys opens and the girls start making their way from the school's pool to the girls locker room. Without a second to think Edd quickly covers Eddy's eyes with one hand and grabs Eddy's hands with the other when he reached to take Edd's hand off his eyes.  
"Come on Sock Head! Why won't you let me see?" Eddy yells trying to fight against Edd.  
Edd continued his covering of Eddy's eyes despite his fighting back. "Because I know you Eddy, and I will not have you ogling the girls… of our class…" Edd trails off as his eyes fall on the only black haired girl in their class. Marie was in the middle of the group of girls, and even though some of them were not trying to cover up there more revealing swimwear, his eyes were glued to Marie. She has a towel wrapped around her waist covering her lower half, but leaving her black bikini available for all to see. Edd watches her walk across the gym to the locker room and is only shaken by someone whistling at the girls.  
"Scott!" The teacher yells. "Detention for three days for that."  
Edd looks over and is not surprised that it was Scott that whistled. Scott is the boy that pushed him and almost started a fight with Eddy on their first day. He is a known troublemaker and has given all of the boys from Peach Creek High a very difficult time while at the school.  
"You ok Double Dee? Your face is all red." Ed asks looking down at his friend.  
"Hm?" Edd didn't fully hear his friend at first, but then the question set in. "Oh, uh yes I am Ed. Just a little flustered from, the running." Edd shakes his head trying to get the image of Marie out of his head, but had no such luck.  
'Why now. Why after all that has happened, why is this happening to me?' Edd questions himself as he follows the boys into their locker room. 

* * *

That night Edd is laying on top of his bed trying to rationalize his thoughts. He has begun to feel a pinching pain in his chest whenever he thinks of Marie and he is trying to find any other reason that the one he has come up with. "If only there was someone I could talk to that would understand, not laugh at me, and would not make this an embarrassing moment." He says naming his reasons for not talking to Ed, Eddy, or his parents about this.  
Then it hits him, he has a friend that would not judge him and would understand better than anyone could. Quickly he jumps off his bed and runs over to his desk where his phone sits in its designated spot. He walks back to his bed as he looks through the short list of contacts he has in it and finds the only female teen on the list.  
"Nazz, do you have a minute?" He typed out.  
"Double Dee? Since when do you text?" he got back.  
"Sense I needed someone to talk to about something I couldn't bring up to my parents or talk to Ed and or Eddy about."  
"Oh damn, this sounds serious. Why come to me though?"  
"You are the most logical person I could think of to discuss this situation with."  
"Ok, shoot DD."  
Edd takes a deep breath before he types out; "What do you think about Marie Kanker?"  
"What about her? She used to be kind of a bitch (sorry), but now she's kinda just turned into another face in the crowd. Why are you asking?"  
"I think I may have developed a "crush" on her from trying to deduce why she gave up on me in the hopes of freeing Ed and Eddy from her sisters."  
"Wow."  
"I'm sure I am misreading what my mind is going through and that I am in fact not becoming interested in her."  
"Let me ask you this first DD. How does the thought of her make you feel?"  
Edd thinks on the question for a minute trying to find the words to describe what he feels. "It is almost a suffocating feeling. There is a pain in my chest when I think about her. And a need to just be in her presence."  
"Well… I got some bad news for you. You're crushing on Marie DD."  
"I was afraid of that."  
"Why? What is wrong about it DD? You have a thing for Marie, it's not the end of the world."  
"But she hates me, and at a quite violent level I might add."  
"That could just be her way of keeping people out and away. Look you got a thing for her plain and simple. And there is only two things you can do. Do nothing and let this feeling eat you up, or you take a chance and risk it all and tell her. And if you need a tip on how to tell her, just ask her to the dance."  
"But what if she isn't interested, or if I am in fact misreading this whole thing."  
"That is the risk you take DD."  
"I'm going to need to think on this some more Nazz. Thank you for your input on the matter."  
"No probs DD." 

* * *

Edd spends the rest of the night looking up at his ceiling contemplating how he feels and the conversation he had with Nazz. And as his mind drifts off to sleep he decides to muster up and ask Marie to the dance and dinner afterwards. 'I have to try.' Are the last words he thinks just as his mind is taken over by his subconscious so his body can rest. 

* * *

The Dance was to be held on a Saturday and even though Edd agreed to do it, it took him all the way until the Friday before the dance to ask Marie. It was on his way to the library for the afternoon that he finally found her, she had been strangely absent when he looked for her all day. He saw her making her way to the exit of the school alone.  
Stopping in front of her in the hallway Edd gathers up all his courage. "Marie, I know you seem to have a very negative opinion of me and you have told me to leave you alone, but I was hoping you would like to attend tomorrow evenings festivities with me. As my date." Edd had closed his eyes as he said this so he didn't have to look at her, even though he has a large collection of mental images of her that flooded him as he spoke.  
"Seriously?" Edd opens his eyes at the sound of her voice.  
He nods. "Yes."  
"Well first off you're right, I do want you to leave me alone. Second my boyfriend is taking me. And third, why would I want to go with someone so boring?"  
Edd felt heartbroken. "I, I just thought… I should give it a chance…" Edd's eyes were starting to blur, he was on the verge of tears, so he looks down to try and clear them. Edd has never felt this feeling in his chest, it hurts as if he is being stabbed.  
"I told you once already, you lost your one chance with me, now fuck off." Out of anger Marie takes a swing at Edd hitting him in the chest. There wasn't much force behind the punch, so Edd didn't move, but he didn't try to move out of the way either, HE just stood there and took the punch, accepting the pain.  
Marie realized what she did as she slowly took her hand away from Edd's chest. She is amazed that he didn't try to avoid her attack, and instantly regrets the punch.  
"Ow." Edd's voice wasn't at all like she know it to be, it was a sad quiet almost whisper.  
Edd lifts his head and their eyes meet, his are full of sadness and hers of regret. Marie couldn't take the look in his eyes, she turns around and runs away at full speed. 'Fuck fuck fuck!' She yells in her head as she runs. 

* * *

Edd ended up being a few minutes late reaching the library for his after school work. "I'm sorry I'm late Mrs. Parker, I needed to use the restroom on my way here." He says hiding his red eyes from the old woman.  
"It's quite alright Eddward, there is a first time for everything."


	4. A Night of Change

That night Marie went to sleep full of regret about hitting Edd. Shes hurt him in the past yes, but that was always tackling him, pinning him in place, or the odd times she's tied him up, but she's never struck him. She never wanted to really hurt him, out of every person that she knows, he never deserved a punch like most people. There was once a time that she wanted to punch him for something he did, but she chose to just walk away and let the anger build inside instead. And as she sleeps, she recalls that event that wasn't that long ago, but felt like a whole lifetime ago. 

* * *

_The fall dance was going to be her time, it was going to be the night that Edd would be hers, that is what Marie thought as she changed into the black and gray striped shirt and red and black plaid skirt.  
_ " _You're really going all out on this aren't you Marie?" Lee asked as she pulled her red and white striped dress over her pink leggings.  
_ _Marie looked at herself in the mirror on the back of the sisters closet door. She knew that she looked good, her growing body is sure to turn a few head that night, but all she wanted was one boy to see. "Hey, I got to keep the boy's interested."  
_ " _So you're not doing it for Double Dee?" May asked as she struggled to zip up her blue dress.  
_ _Marie glares at her sister, she hated how May always seemed to see the true intent in her schemes. "Can it May."  
_ _  
The girls were in luck as they walked to Peach Creek High, snow had yet to start falling so it wasn't as cold as it could have been on a fall night.  
_ " _Remember girls, don't settle for one guy tonight. Let them fight over ya." Lee said as she pushes the doors to the gym open.  
_ " _I doubt you will even get one guy Lee." Marie said as she scanned the room. There was already a good amount of people in the gym, but no Ed's_

 _The girls took to enjoying themselves as the night went on. May went to stealing pockets full of food from the snack table, and Marie and Lee quickly began fighting and messing with each other around one of the speakers.  
_ _As Marie sat on top of the speaker blowing a raspberry at Lee the door opened and the Ed's walked in. Eddy had taken over choosing what the three of them would wear that evening. Eddy was in a yellow button up shirt with a larger than normal collar popped up and blue stone washed jeans. Ed was in a white plaid shirt and brown pants. Marie thought that Ed and Eddy looked ridiculous and laughable in their getups, but she couldn't help but find Edd's a little cute, despite his clothes being just as ridiculous. Edd was dressed in an orange turtleneck with a black vest over that and white black striped pants. Marie had forgotten that Lee was below her and only remembered when Lee started to shake the speaker._

 _Marie ended up losing sight of Edd as she continued to fight with her sister, so she didn't see Eddy push the very nervous Edd into Nazz, who took Edd out onto the dance floor. Nazz didn't want to dance with Edd, she really wanted Kevin to ask her to dance, but if he was going to lean against the wall next to the lights instead then she was going to at least have a little fun with her friend.  
_ _Lee saw Edd and Nazz out on the dance floor. "You going to let that hussy steal your man Marie?"  
_ _Marie looked from her sister to the dance floor and saw Edd and Nazz dancing and felt a swarm of rage and heartache at the sight of the two of them dancing. But what hurt the most was seeing him smiling and happy with another girl.  
_ _As Marie's emotions were boiling pore Ed was running around the outside of the dancing area trying to get away from May, who was chasing him. Ed was flailing his arms as he ran and knocked both of Kevin's drinks out of his hands making a decent size pool of liquid on the floor.  
_ _Kevin made noise of anger at Ed as he walked away to look for something to clean up his drinks in the cleaning closet of the gym.  
_ _Marie jumped down from the speaker just as Ed turned and began to run in her and Lee's direction. As he passed Lee grinned and pushed Ed causing him to trip and stumble all the way over to the light stand knocking it over and falling into the puddle of Kevin's drink breaking a bulb.  
_ _Marie didn't want to be at the dance anymore, so she made her leave, but not before she pushed Eddy into Rolf out of anger, who for some reason was in a giant paper mache spiky ball. Rolf's costume was horribly unbalanced and he fell from Eddy hitting him and rolled into the down light as it sparked.  
_ _Marie didn't see what happened next on the count of her walking out, but her sisters would tell her later that night.  
_ _The spark from the light lit Rolf's costume on fire, and because he was dancing with Nazz, Edd didn't notice the fire until Kevin yelled for Eddy to help him get Rolf out of the costume. Had Edd been keeping a better eye on his friends, what happened next might not have happened. Kevin and Eddy were able to get Rolf free of the costume and Eddy kicked it away before he turned to run out of the school with the rest of the kids who saw the costume engulfed in flames.  
_ _As Edd made his own way out of the gym he saw the costume roll into the cleaning closet that Kevin had gone into._

 _That night the six teens put aside all past transgressions as they watched the fire burn the gym. And the next morning when the news reported that it was an electrical fire that spread into the cleaning closet they agreed to swear to secrecy that they would never speak a word of what happened at the dance.  
_ _But as the six teens made their pact, Marie spent the next several weeks getting madder and sadder at what she saw, it didn't help that the Kankers are not openly fond men to begin with, until she decided that Edd was a cheating jerk that will just hurt her again if she tried to go after him again. So she chose to close herself off and push him away and treat him like every other teen outside of her family._

* * *

 __Marie awoke and sighed. 'Again with that stupid dream'. She thinks before she scoots to the foot of the bed. Marie slept between her sister and they both were still asleep making it slightly difficult for her to get out of the bed. The dream of what happened at the school dance plagues Marie constantly and it is getting to the point that it doesn't surprise her when it comes to her at night.

Marie makes her way down to the ground floor of the trailer, it was still really early and she could have gone back to sleep for an hour or two, but rarely does she get any quiet time in the trailer park.  
So she grabs one of the clean mugs from the kitchen cabinet, pours what is left of her mother's coffee from the day before into it, adds some water to give her more to drink, and puts it in the microwave to warm it up. As her coffee is going in the microwave Marie looks at the kitchen table covered in schoolbooks and notebooks. The Kanker Sisters have been actively trying to do their schoolwork recently. At first when they started going to the private school they didn't care about doing homework, but when the sisters found out how much is at stake if they get kicked out for failing, there is no other school in Peach Creek that would take them while the public school is being rebuilt from the fire that destroyed it, they started trying. They also couldn't disappoint their mother like that, the sisters mother wants them to finish high school, unlike her. So almost every night the sisters were up late working together to get the homework done. They weren't getting much done, but they were still keeping a passing grade.  
The microwave beeps and Marie opens the door and removes her mug. She sets it down on the counter to let the ceramic container cool. As it cools she goes into her backpack and pulls out her self-proclaimed "Ticket to Freedom", which is the black book Edd has seen her with numerous times. Marie takes the book, a pencil, and her coffee and heads into the living room. She takes a drink from her watered down coffee, Edd had given her a taste of the good life with the latte so the watered down coffee just didn't taste as good anymore, before setting the mug down on the coffee table. She drops down onto the old lumpy couch and opens the black book.  
The black book was Marie's most prized possession, it's a sketchbook she has had for years and has added more and more pages to over the years making it very thick and messy with several pages sticking out at odd angles. Her favorite thing to do alone is to flip through it admiring all the work she has done over the years. From the simple cars and planes of when she was ten, to the still lifes she has been doing as of late.

She is enjoying her quiet time as she looks at her work, but when she turned to a page that has been ripped out the enjoyment is lost. In front of her is the spot where the only page has ever been ripped out of her sketch book. She gently runs her finger over the torn edge, she remembers the exact night she ripped the page out. It was months ago, shortly after the dance at Peach Creek High. As she looks at the missing page, she can see the faint pencil rubbing from the now gone drawing on the back of the page before it. She had put so much work into the dress that she drew, same with the tux worn by the other figure and the flowers she was holding in the drawing. She knew right away when she started drawing Edd and her getting married that it was such a big impossible event, but she didn't care at the time. But now she would give anything just to have him ignore her like he did before, not asking to be her friend, or buy her coffee, or ask her to the school dance.  
She slams her book closed. "Fuck this shit." 

* * *

Shortly after she finished her coffee May and Lee awoke and joined Marie down stairs. "Morning." Marie says as she worked on washing the dishes in the sink.  
Lee scratched her backside as she walked into the kitchen. "Why you up so early Marie? And doing the dishes?"  
"Cause I can." In all reality Marie was doing the dishes because the sister's mother told them that if they wanted to go to the school dance, they had to do a list of chores around the trailer.  
May takes one of the bowls that Marie had just dried and fills it with cereal. "Didn't Mom tell us that we had to do a bunch of stuff if we wanted to go to the school dance tonight?"  
Marie tosses a clean spoon at her sister. "Can it May."  
"That's it isn't it, you wanna go out dancing with your new boy toy don't cha Marie?" Lee asks spotting the scowl of anger Marie directed at May.  
Marie turned back to the sink full of water. "So what if I do wanna see Scott? Don't be hating cause I got one of these uptown guys to fall for me."  
"Ha! That guy ain't no uptown guy. He's a dirtbag like the rest of them, his folks just have the cash to send him off to that snobby school."  
Marie fully knew that Scott is a dirtbag, but he's at least he's something she knows and understands and will always be predictable, unlike the wild card Edd turned out to be. 

* * *

As Marie is doing chores around the trailer, and fighting with her sisters about them helping her, Edd is laying in bed still. Even though it is almost noon and he's never slept past ten in the morning, he still feels depressed and heartbroken over what happened the day before at school to get out of bed. He took the chance and asked Marie to the dance, and she shot him down and then punched him.  
'Why did I even bother? I would have been better off if I hadn't asked Marie to the dance and let these feelings just die away.' he thinks as his door opens.  
"Eddward, are you ok Son? Your mother and I are concerned." Edd's father walks into Edd's room.  
Edd doesn't sit up in his bed, he didn't want to move. "I am quite alright Father. I just need some time alone with my thoughts."  
Edd's father sits down on his son's bed. "Did something happen Son? You know you can talk to me about anything."  
"Well, there is a school social event this evening. And well… I asked a female classmate to attend with me, and she declined my offer in a rather hurtful manner."  
Edd's father pat's Edd's leg. "Ah, heartache isn't fun. But trust me on this Eddward, still go to this function tonight and have fun with your friends. You can't let one little bump in the road stop you from living your own life. So a girl turned you down and it hurt, but you just got to keep on trying and hope for the best the next time a girl interests you."  
His father's words were just the thing he needed to hear. He can still go to the dance and have fun with Ed, Eddy, and the rest of the Cul-de-sac teens. He can't let Marie's rejection keep him down. "Thank you Father." He says as he sits up in his bed. "I think I will attend tonight." 

* * *

Later that night Edd is at Eddy's house with Ed getting ready for the evening. He had already called them and informed them of what attire they will need to have ready. Edd had gone into the back of his closet and dug out a full black tux and bowtie suite his parents got him for a social event he attended with them the year before.  
"You have to put in the effort Eddy." Edd says as he ties his bowtie in Eddy's mirror.  
Eddy was not nearly as dressed up as Edd, he has donned his Sunday blue suite, that is wrinkled and very unkept. "But why the bowtie? It looks stupid."  
"Bowties are cool Eddy." Ed, who was struggling to get into his father's old grey suit, says.  
Edd goes to help Ed with his attire. Edd is still happy that his tall friend is keeping up with his personal hygiene, even though it could be because he no longer has a foul odor that has lead to May being more aggressive with him. "I have to agree with Ed Eddy, they are rather cool." 

* * *

The boys make the trip to the school after getting ready, checked into the teacher manning the door to make sure that only students attend the event, and then head into the gym.  
There was very little decorations in the gym, some streamers and lights hung from ceiling and a small table sat by the far wall where a DJ was playing slow and classical music through the speakers that flanked the table for the students to enjoy and dance too.  
"Hey guys, glad you made it." The Eds look over and sees Nazz in a green dress with her arm threw Kevin's, who is in a black suite.  
"Good evening Nazz, good evening Kevin." Edd says greeting his friends. "Has Rolf shown up yet?"  
Kevin shakes his head. "Na, after the last one, Rolf says he's never going to another school dance."  
"Well, can you really blame him?" Edd asks as the group of teens walk away from the entrance. 

* * *

Nazz and Kevin left the Ed's shortly after they met up to go out onto the dance floor to dance. And the Ed's moved to standing near a table that has a punch bowl, monitored heavily by the Physical Education teacher, on it.  
Eddy was looking around for a girl that he could try and pick up, but everyone he saw was with someone. "Man, every chick in this place has a dude."  
Edd takes a drink from his cup of punch. "It's a high class dance Eddy, it should be expected that it would be a majority of couples."  
Just as Edd said this he saw May and Lee walk into the gym, followed by Marie, and shockingly with Scott right next to her. "Holly shit. Is Marie dating Scott?" Eddy says seeing the middle Kanker grab Scott and pull him away from the door into the crowd. "She could do way better than him, right Double Dee?"  
Edd was at a loss for words just from the sight of Marie. She is dressed in a red and black plaid dress that hung just below her knees and has no sleeves, it made her look stunning and Edd felt his heart pound in his chest. Lee's dress is light blue with long sleeves that hung just a few inches off the floor. May's was white with red stripes that hung just as long as Lee's, but with short sleeves. Edd honestly didn't fully believe her when she said she had a boyfriend, but seeing her with Scott of all people was a push he is going to need for later. 

* * *

Edd continued to watch Marie as the night went by. She danced with Scott a few times, but she didn't seem that interested in him, almost as if she's only with him as a last resort. And when he saw her leave the gym alone to use the school bathroom, Edd decided enough is enough. He is going to man up and get to the bottom of everything that has happened and finally find out why Marie hates him now.  
He downs the rest of his punch and hands his cup off to Eddy. "Pardon me gentlemen." He says before walking away.  
Edd follows Marie into the hallway, but she made it into the restroom before he even made it out of the gym. He crosses his arms in front of his chest as he waits, his heart starts to pound in his chest again from what he feels for Marie and out of nervousness of confronting her.

A few minutes pass and finally the door swings open and Marie walks out."What do you want?" She asks annoyed that Edd is there.  
Edd stands his ground, and for once holds back his gentlemanly ways. "I want to know the truth."  
"What?"  
"The truth Marie, about what I did to lose this supposed one chance I had with the girl who bullied me? I spent weeks trying to figure out why you hate me, and yet all I have learned was how sad you seem to be now and that you are far more complex of a person than I ever thought."  
Marie knew that Edd had been eyeing her for a while now, but she didn't know why. "Why would you do that?"  
"I only ever intended to figure out why you chose to abandon your acts of aggression upon me to help Ed and Eddy, and yet I find myself not caring about that anymore. For reasons I do not fully understand myself I have come to be infatuated with you Marie." Edd was finally saying it, he has come to terms with the fact that he has fallen for Marie, and he is ready for whatever the truth will yield.  
Marie couldn't believe that Edd just confessed his feeling for her, at one point in her life this would be what she wanted, but she still feels the pain from the fall. "And I told you before, you fucked over your chance with me."  
"I don't even know what I did! How could lose a chance I was never given? What did I do Marie?" Edd has never yelled at a lady before, and as he is gesturing with his arms he hoped that this would be the last. "What could I have possible done to scorn you so?"  
Marie balled her fist, she was about to boil over. "You cheated on me, that's what you did!" She's never said it out loud what he's done before, not even to herself in private. And hearing the words come out of her mouth not only sounded odd, but was the last push to the edge.  
"Cheated?" Edd is confused. "That's what I did? How could I ever have cheated on you when we were never anything? Tell me what I did that counts as cheating?"  
"You danced with fucking Nazz you bastard!" Marie yells at the top of her voice.  
"The dance last fall? Marie, that's what I did to upset you?" Edd couldn't believe it, that dance months ago seems to keep causing changes in his life.  
"YES!" Marie eyes start to water and tears roll down her cheek, running her eyeliner. She is finally letting the emotions she has locked away out. "You were supposed to be MINE Edd. You were supposed to only ever have eyes for me. I was the only one that was supposed to make you smile like that... make you happy." She looks away from him, not wanting to look at him or for him to see her face.  
Edd takes a step closer to her. "If you really did like me, why treat me like you did? Why would you choose to torment me over trying to befriend me?"  
"Because that is all I knew!" Marie falls to her knees as tears stream from her eyes, she was holding back all her pain for so long, and now it was all out and it was becoming too much for her to handle. "Hurting people is how I have only ever gotten anything in life."  
Edd kneels down next to her. "Marie." He says lifting her head up so he could see her face. He then looks at her with a warm smile before saying; "I forgive you. For everything you have ever said or have ever done in the past, just do me one thing."  
"What?" She asks as he wipes a tear away from her cheek.  
Edd caresses her cheek with his hand, she has surprisingly soft skin. "Please stop crying, it's causing your makeup to run and I would hate to see it get into your eyes."  
His hand on her cheek was melting her, it was a touch she hand once longed for for years, and now she has it. "Why are you doing this? I said things to you, I pointed my knife at you. I even hit you." She starts regretting all that she's ever done to him, so much was done out of anger to him to try and keep him away, she can even see a faint line where her knife blade was once against his cheek.  
Edd lifts her up from the ground with gentle hands. "That was yesterday and days before. I like you Marie, I don't quite understand why, but I know that I really like you and wish to have you in my life as more than you are." Edd feels his heart beat faster and faster as they talk. He knows what he is asking of Marie, and he knows that his friends might have reactions of a less than positive manner, but he doesn't care. This is what he wants more than anything.  
Marie wipes her eyes clear. "Are you asking me to be you-"  
"Marie, what are you doing with this chump?"  
Marie and Edd jump and look to the door back into the gym, Scott is walking towards them looking unhappy at the sight of Edd holding Marie's arms.  
Marie didn't like Scott calling Edd a chump. "Scott, we need to talk." She could have told him that they are through and to leave her alone, but she wanted to somewhat be on the up and up with Scott, even if he is a dirt bag. Marie walks away from Edd to Scott. "Look, I don't know how to say this anyway other then, we're done. I'm sorry but this just won't work for me anymore."  
Scott glares at Marie and he grabs her upper arm. "You're MY dame for the night. Lets blow this place, my buddy Tony has a thirty pack in his car." He starts to pull Marie away by her arm.  
Marie tries to claw her arm free with her nails, but she is having no such luck. "Let go of me ya jerk."  
Scott squeezes her arm tighter. "Ow, knock it off!" She says as he starts to hurt her.  
Hearing Marie in pain awoke something inside of Edd, something very protective. He runs around in front of Scott. "Let go of Marie Scott. She does not want to go with you to wherever you are trying to take her."  
Scott looks down at Edd and laughs. "Fuck off ya nerd." Scott swings his fist and hits Edd in the eye knocking him to the ground.  
"Edd!" Marie yells as fear for his safety fills her.  
His eye burns with pain, but Edd gets back up full of anger and adrenalin. "Let her go!" He yells as he swings his own fist at Scott. His fist makes contact with Scott's stomach making him stumble very slightly, Edd isn't a strong person at all so the punch was more of a push.  
Scott lets go of Marie and grabs Edd. "You little shit, I am going to end you."  
"Hey." Marie forces Scott to face her. "You." She punches him in the stomach. "Keep." Another punch. "Your hands." She lands a third punch in his chest. "Off my Edd." The fourth punch was to Scott's temple knocking him to the ground.  
Marie turns to Edd who had fallen to the ground. "Edd are you ok? Why would you do that, he could have killed you." She picks him up off the ground.  
Edd's eye is starting swell from the punch. "It was worth it, to keep you safe Marie."  
Marie hugs Edd, and he hugs her back. "Don't ever, EVER, do anything that stupid again. You're not a fighter and I couldn't live with you getting hurt."  
Edd takes in the fact that he has his arms around Marie, and she has hers around him, and is awashed with a warm and fuzzy feeling. But their moment is interrupted by a teacher walking into the hallway.  
"What has happened here?" The teacher asks looking at Scott, who is still on the floor.  
Marie looks up at Edd and he looks down at her. Telling the truth would most certainly get the two of them into severe trouble, so Marie makes up the best lie she could. "This guy was trying to take me away from my date, and he tried to stop this guy from hurting me. He punched my date in the eye and he hit him back in self defense, and I may have taken a swing at him too."  
"He also said that his friend Tony has beer in his vehicle in the parking lot too." Edd adds running with Marie's kind of lie. 

* * *

The Teacher believed them, Edd being the stand up student and aid that Mrs. Parker is always talking highly of helped. The teacher took Scott away and Edd and Marie ended up on the dance floor together. Marie is smiling for the first time as Edd held her close as they danced.  
She hugs him closer as she rests the side of her head against his chest, this night has gone how she never thought it would. "Thanks for standing up for me Edd." she says as a song ends.  
Edd chuckles. "It's what you do, for your date. Thank you for standing up for me by the way."  
Marie looks up at him and their eyes lock. unlike the day before both sets of eyes are full of the affection and caring that they have for each other. "It's what you do, for your boyfriend." She smiles wide at hm.  
"I kind of wanted to ask that."  
"You didn't need to, I was yours the moment you showed that you cared. The moment that you chose to not stop until I was honest with you and broke down that wall made me yours Edd." Marie leans up, having to stand on her toes to reach, and kisses Edd.  
She has forced kisses on him in the past, but this kiss was not an aggressive one, it was a real kiss, and Edd kisses her back. The feeling inside of Edd was the strangest feeling he has ever felt, and he is forever happy that it is Marie that has caused this feeling.  
Once the kiss is ended Edd sees tears forming in the corner of Marie's eyes. "Marie, is something wrong?"  
Marie wipes away the tears in her eyes. "I waited so long to have you kiss me, to show that you liked me like I liked you, and now you finally are. I'm just so happy Edd."  
Edd understood, they are tears of joy not sorrow. "Happy to make you happy Marie." 

* * *

After dancing together for a while Edd and Marie decided against going to the dinner event and left the dance early, choosing to walk home, taking the long route. They walk hand in hand down the side of the road making small talk about an arrange of things.  
"I like your new hair style by the way Marie, being able to see both of your eyes only adds to your beauty." Edd comments on his fondness of her hairstyle as he drapes his dress jacket over Marie, she shivered as a gust of wind blew and he did this without thinking.  
Marie blushes slightly as she pulls his coat closer with her free hand, a complement from Edd seems to awaken her more girly side. "Thanks, I wanted a more of a pissed off bad girl style than I had." She also wanted to be rid of the blue hair as that was part of her life of liking Edd. But even though she no longer wants to be rid of the things that reminded her of him, she still wants to keep her current hair style, she likes the new look plain and simple. "I like yours too by the way, long hair looks good on ya."  
"You are welcome Marie, and thank you as well. It was a change I had to make for school." He says as they stop for a car passing.  
Marie leans against Edd. "I know why."  
"I'm sorry?" Edd asks looking to see if another car is coming.  
"I know. I know why you had to grow your hair out." The teens start walking again.  
"You… know? How?" Edd squeezes Marie's hand as he starts to worry, he has been very careful to keep his scar hidden.  
Marie stops them from walking any further down the sidewalk, after they reached the other side of the road of course. "Remember like a year ago when all your friends went to the city pool and me and my sisters crashed the pool party? Well I may have followed you into the changing room and saw you without your hat on." Marie reaches up and runs her hand threw his hair on the right side of his head. "And I saw this." She gently touches his scar. "I don't know how you go this, but I can understand why you would want to keep it hidden."  
Edd can't believe what he is hearing, this kind and caring side of Marie is something he's never seen before, and he found that he liked it. "Just don't tell anyone about it."  
Marie takes her hand away from his head. "Just cause I'm a bad girl doesn't mean that I'm a jackass."  
Edd laughs, something he is going to be doing a lot with Marie in his presence. "I happen to like that you are a bad girl Marie. It's who you are and I accept that of you."  
"Oh my god." Marie falls into his chest. "You are so damn sweet Edd. How am I going to maintain my bad girl look if you're making me blush and smile all the damn time."  
Edd laughs again. "Sorry." He says patting her back.  
"No you're not. You like that you're making me feel happy." 

* * *

As Edd and Marie were walking down the street, the dance was still going on and Ed and Eddy were still hanging around the dance. There were enough students on the dance floor that Ed and Eddy didn't see Edd and Marie dancing, but Nazz did and she is very excited for the next day of school, so the boys just assumed that Edd left the dance.  
"Just like Double Dee, bailing when he gets bored." Eddy says as he downs another cup of punch. This was his tenth cup of punch and they have finally caught up with him. "I'll be back Lumpy, I need to use it."  
Eddy walks away from Ed to find a bathroom to use leaving Ed to stand around alone.  
Ed stands there looking around, being the simple minded person that he is Ed's mind drifts off into thinking about comic books and monster movies.  
"What do you want?" Ed's mind snaps back at the sound of May's voice. He looks around out of fear of the youngest Kanker sister and sees her up against the wall a good distance away from him with a few older and bigger boys around her.  
One of the boys moves closer to May. "Come on babe, why don't you come with us and have a good time."  
The second boy tries to touch May's hair as he says; "You look like a chick that knows how to have fun."  
May smacked his hand away from her hair. She's never been afraid of anyone in the past, part of being a Kanker, but with no Marie or Lee around she is starting to worry about what is going to happen to her. "Leave me alone."  
The third boy laughs. "Na babe, we are going to have fun tonight."

Ed watched the three boys harassing May, and he knew that what they were doing was wrong. He looks around for Edd or Eddy to get their help, but he saw no one that he knew. Ed knew what he should do, Edd teaching him how to be a gentleman coming back to him again, but he was still afraid of May.  
But when one of the boys grabs May's wrist and she yells out, he couldn't stand by and do nothing anymore. Ed closes his eyes and runs at the boys, knocking one of them down, grabs May and runs at full speed out of the building.

At first May didn't know what was going on as she was carried out the building, but once she realized that it was Ed that saved her from the older boys that wanted to take advantage of her she hugs him tight as he ran away not caring where they were going, only that it was Ed that had saved her. 

* * *

Back to Edd and Marie, they were getting closer to the Cul-de-sac. They are stopped at a street corner and Marie pulls out her pack of cigarettes from her dresses small pocket.  
Edd doesn't say anything at the sight of the cigarettes but Marie looks at them and then up to Edd. He had already voiced his concerns about her smoking weeks ago and now she doesn't want this habit anymore. With a sigh of anger that she wasted her limited funds on the pack she crushes it in her hands and throws them into the pool of the house they were close to.  
Edd leans down and gives Marie a kiss as she looked at the pack slowly sinking in the pool. "I'm proud of you Marie."  
The kiss made Marie feel better about the lost money. "I don't really know why I ever started smoking."  
Edd smiles and kisses Marie again, he really likes kissing her and understands now why Kevin and Nazz do it so often. "I don't know why you would and I don't need to know why. It's your life and your choices to make, I'm just happy that you chose to give it up."  
Marie feels her heart pound in her chest, it had been beating faster ever sense they talked outside of the bathroom, but now it's gaining speed. Her affection for Edd was starting to cloud her mind and make her think and want to say thing that would be too soon to say on the first night of being in a relationship. "Edd I l-"  
Marie is cut off by someone running at top speed by.  
Edd looks at the person running. "Was that Ed… carrying May?" He asks looking from the person to Marie.  
Marie squints. "I think it was. I have got to find out what just happened." She grabs Edd's hand and they take off after Ed. 

* * *

"Oh come on!" Eddy yells as he sees that Ed is now gone too. "First Double Dee and now Ed leaving me high and dry."  
This night, to Eddy anyway, has been a big waste of time. He has been shot down by every girl he has asked if they "wanna get down and boogie", some even slapped him. And now he is without his two best friends.  
"You know what." He says to himself. "Screw this place." Eddy turns and starts to walk to the exit. 'Man this school has been a pit.' He thinks as a girl walks up to him.  
"Hey." The tall platinum blond teen girl says getting Eddy's attention.  
Eddy stops and looks at the girl. 'Damn, she's hot.' He thinks taking in the long haired girl in a satin red dress. "Yeah?"  
The girl points over her shoulder with her thumb as she asks; "Wanna dance?"  
Eddy didn't believe the girl. "Me?" He asks back looking behind him to see if there was someone else the girl was talking to.  
"Yeah, you seem kinda cute and you're not with anyone are you?"  
Eddy was about to use one of his many very cheesy pick up one-liners, but then what Edd said earlier that night echoed in his head. 'You have to put in the effort Eddy'. Edd was talking about how he was dressed at the time, but maybe it applied to more than just how you look. Maybe Edd's words would apply to other fascist of life, like talking to a very attractive young lady. So instead of saying something that most definitely would have landed him a slap, Eddy says; "Yeah I'm here alone."  
The girl smiles. "Cool, so you wanna dance?"  
Keeping with the plan of playing it cool and putting in effort because this girl wants to be around him Eddy responds with a simple; "Sure, names Eddy."  
The girl smiles again. "Victoria, but call me Vicky and I will kill you."  
With how Lee had treated him over the years Eddy isn't surprised by the aggression. "I'll remember that."

Eddy and Victoria dance to a few songs enjoying the music and each other's company. Eddy would have impressed Edd and Nazz if they would have seen him. He hadn't said a rude thing at all to Victoria, he was polite and sticking to keeping it cool with her.  
After the third song finished the DJ announced that the dinner was starting and for the kids wishing to go to start making their way to the cafeteria.  
"So I had already made plans to go eat with my friends, so it looks like this is where we split." Victoria says after the DJ finished his announcement.  
Eddy is sad to hear that she is leaving. "Will I, you know, ever see ya again?" He asks as his hopes of spending more time with Victoria start.  
Victoria looks at Eddy with a contemplating look. "Hmm. Give me your number, and maybe if you're lucky you might."  
Eddy gives Victoria the number to his smart phone. "Well, I guess I'll see ya later."  
Victoria stores her own phone back away. "Only if you're lucky." And with that Victoria turned and walked into the crowd of teens heading for the dinner event.  
"Ok." Eddy says to himself as he watches her walk away. "Tonight wasn't a complete waste." 

* * *

"Thanks for walking me home Edd." Marie says as Edd and her reach the Kanker Family trailer in the Park n' Flush.  
They never did catch up to Ed and May, but the light was on inside the trailer so someone was defiantly home.  
"Thank you for letting me." This night has been a big game changer for the Ed's, and Edd is, and will be, riding the high of it for a very long time.  
Marie turns to the side while turning Edd so they were face to face. Marie herself can't believe that she started the day off by hating Edd, and now not only has that hate been washed away, but she is in a relationship with him. "I guess I should be getting inside, I need to know what May was doing." Marie really didn't want to separate from Edd, but it was getting late and she is sure he has a curfew coming up.  
Edd caresses her cheek with his hand, ending almost all of Marie's self-control. "Well then, until our next meeting my dear." He then places a gentle kiss on her lips.  
Marie was in heaven, she had her eyes closed when Edd kissed her so she didn't see him take a step away from her, but she did feel it. She grabs Edd by his jacket, she gave it back to him a few blocks before the trailer park, with both hands and pulls him back to her. This time it is her that kissed him. It was a deep long kiss that Edd did his best to return with his lacking stills of kissing.  
During the kiss Edd's hands found their way onto her waist and Marie's arms were around his neck. As he held his girlfriend and kissed her a thought came to him, and he knew there was something he needed to apologies for. So when they finally broke the kiss to breathe Edd says; "I'm sorry that I hurt you in the fall Marie. I promise to never bring sadness to your life again."  
Marie rests against Edd's chest, in the quiet of the trailer park she can hear his heartbeat. "You didn't hurt me Edd. I did it to myself." She runs her fingertips gently up and down his chest. "I was a bully and picked on you all the time when all I wanted was this. If anyone should say they are sorry it's me."  
Edd lifts Marie's head up so he could look her in the eyes. "There is nothing to be sorry about Marie. Had you not been you, I might not have looked into why you stopped you're aggression and I might not be standing here holding the young lady that I have come to admire so much."  
Without a word Marie almost jumps up and kisses Edd again, this was a far shorter kiss than the last though. "Edd, I don't know what to say other than." Marie leans back and looks away from him before yelling; "Edd Vincent is MY boyfriend and all you other chicks better back the fuck off!"  
Edd is a little shocked at the yelling, but the grin on Marie's face said it all, she is in a very happy mood and was riding the same high as him.  
"Ok as much as I don't want to, I need to be getting inside. I have a little sister that has some explaining to do."  
Reluctantly Edd lets go of Marie. "Good night Marie, I will see you on Monday at school."  
The feeling of Edd's hands coming off of her made Marie feel wrong, like a part of her that has always been there is no longer where it should be. "G'night Edd." She says as feelings of longing for Edd come to her as he slowly backs away from her.  
With a happy sigh Marie turns and walks the last few feet to the sky blue trailer and opens the door. "May! I know you're here!" 

* * *

**AN: I know that wasn't what exactly happened in the episode, but I wanted to make it seem more believable as to what happened to Peach Creek High. Also don't worry about Eddy, I have a plan for him to make up for how he has been acting.**


	5. Love and Mysteries

When Edd got home his parents jumped at the sight of Edd's eye, he has a noticeable black ring around his eye and there is a decent amount of swelling. "It was an accident Mother." Edd said as his mother pressed an ice pack onto her son's eye. "Ed was just getting a bit too carried away, you know how he can get. He was swinging his arms as he danced and I was too focused on my own agenda, which lead to his elbow coming in contact with my eye." Edd knew that lying to his parents was a very bad thing to do, but it was far better than telling them the truth about how he got a black eye at the school dance. 

* * *

Edd spent all of the following Sunday is a state of happiness and bliss. He did the chores for the day without a care in the world, homework was finished without fully realizing that it was, he even went the whole evening eating dinner with his parents without saying a word. His mind was filled with nothing but Marie.  
"What is wrong with Eddward?" His mother asked his father as they cleaned up the kitchen.  
His father laughed a quick laugh before saying; "I bet he met a girl last night and has been thinking of her all day."  
"Our little man is growing up so fast…" 

* * *

Edd was still in that state of bliss as he walked to school with Ed and Eddy that he had forgotten about asking Ed what happened at the dance.  
Eddy himself hadn't forgotten, he was just not sure how to bring up the others bailing on him, if they hadn't he might not have met Victoria. But with Ed being quieter than normal and Edd humming and grinning wide he had to find out what happened, also how Edd got the shiner he's rocking. "So what happened to you guys at the dance?"  
Edd hadn't thought of how he was going to tell his friends about Marie and him, but luckily Marie had a plan to greet him in a way that would make it obvious that they are a couple. "Well, I went to go tal-"  
 ***Wap*  
** Edd is tackled to the ground by a girl in the school uniform and black hair. "Hey there cutie, did ya miss me?" Marie asks in a slightly seductive tone as she sits on his stomach.  
The tackle knocked the wind out of Edd's lungs, so he couldn't respond back before Eddy got a few words in.  
"Oh great, you're back to your old self."  
Marie ignores Eddy and cups Edd's face and gives him a kiss, she had been longing to kiss him since they parted less than two days ago.  
Eddy groans, he had gotten used to Marie leaving Edd alone and now it appeared that she was back to tormenting his friend. But when Edd doesn't fight back and instead moves his hands from his side to her hips as they kiss Eddy and Ed's jaws drop.  
"What the heck is going on Double Dee?" Eddy asks when he finally finds his voice.  
Marie and Edd break their kiss and Edd looks over at his friends. "Well, we talked and came to a mutual understanding of affection for each other."  
Edd's choice of words confused Eddy. "What?"  
Marie gets up off of Edd and then helps him up from the ground, still ignoring Eddy. "I missed ya, if it wasn't obvious." She kisses him on the cheek causing the blood in his cheeks to flow.  
She then helps Edd dust off his dress jacket as he says; "To make it simple, I like Marie and she likes me. So we are a couple now."  
Eddy rolls his eyes. "Oh great, come on Lumpy let's get out of here before they make me sick."  
Marie took Eddy's wanting to get away as a sign that he isn't happy about the idea of Edd and her being together, that maybe he might try and split them up. "Yeah it is great. And I have no problem messing you up if you try and mess with us."  
Eddy stopped a few feet away from Edd and Marie and turns around. "First off, I don't care who Sock Head dates, it's his life to live. Second, if you hurt him you will have to answer to me and Ed." Eddy really didn't care that Edd is dating Marie, the Kanker sisters have been changing so much lately that Eddy isn't sure what kind of people they are anymore, but he will always be on the lookout for Ed and Edd. Whether from other teens at the school, or girls that hated them the week before.  
Eddy didn't wait for a response from Marie, he just turned back around and kept walking. "Well, that is not what I was expecting from him." Marie says, picking up her book bag from the ground where she had dropped it when she went in for the tackle.  
Edd picks up his messenger bag and then takes Marie's hand in his own. "After the unpleasant events with Eddy's older brother he has been looking out for us more, so it is no real surprise that he would wish to keep us safe from any harm."  
Marie enjoys the feeling of Edd's hand holding hers, it reminds her that this is real, that there is no more pain in her heart hidden by false anger. But her newly returned affection for Edd wasn't going to keep her Kanker ways from coming back, she isn't going to start bullying him again, just giving him her own unique brand of affection. "Oh trust me Edd." She says with a sly tone in her voice as she stops and pulls him around to face her. "I won't ever hurt ya, but I'm not going to play nice at all."  
Edd had no idea what Marie meant, but he is sure that he is going to lean as time goes by. And if he was honest, he is excited for what is to come with Marie as his girlfriend. "So long as it is nothing illegal." He says just before Marie kisses him, followed by a playful bite on his lower lip. 

* * *

For the rest of the walk to school Marie and Edd were several feet behind Ed and Eddy. "Who would have thought it?" Eddy says as they reach the school parking lot. "A Kanker being nice to one of us. At least we'll never fall for one of them right Ed?"  
Ed had been keeping very quiet, his mind was a battle field, replaying what he went through after leaving the dance with May. It was just something he didn't know how to express. 

* * *

Ed had run at full speed all the way back to the Park 'n Flush, not even stopping when he saw Edd with Marie. And when he reached the sky blue trailer he set May down and was about to leave, but was stopped by May.  
"Um, Ed." She said unsure of what to say to him. "Ah, thanks. For you know, keeping those guys from messing with me. It was nice of you." May felt quite sheepish, after all she's put Ed through the past few months he still opted to help her.  
Now that he wasn't focused on running he was able to take in May's appearance. She looked rather pretty in her dress, she even pulled her hair up into bun making her face more noticeable. The dress complimented the features of May that Ed was unable to keep his mind from admiring so he started to nervously sweat.  
"It was um, the um, right thing… to do…" He said as he tried to look away from May but couldn't, his teen boy mind and hormones were taking over his better logic.  
May smiled at Ed, she has actually been developing more feelings for Ed past just messing with him for her own entertainment. It was something about how he is always in a happy state of mind and hasn't given up on his imagination that drew her to him, it also helped that he started a proper cleaning regiment ending the foul odor he once maintained. She also found him cute, which is something teenage girls like about teenage boys.  
Slowly, as to not scare him away, May moved closer to Ed. "I'm serious Ed, you are a nice person." Ed saw her approach, but he didn't move, he just watched her get right up to him and then wrap her arms around him, the height difference between the two of them meant that her arms were around his midsection.  
Edd didn't move, he just stood there as May hugged him. After a minute of having her arms around him May couldn't help it as her own Kanker ways started up and she got an idea. Quickly she takes her hands from his back and places them on his shoulders. She had to add a jump as she pulled herself up Ed and had her legs wrapped around him fast enough that he didn't know what was happening. When Ed realized what May had done it was too late, she had him trapped.  
With a sly grin that Marie would be proud of, May leaned in and kissed Ed. May had given Ed long kisses in the past, but this one had her true feelings behind it, so it was definitely softer than what he's gotten before.  
Ed's face was blank when May pulled away from him. "Just so you know big boy." She said feeling excited. "There is plenty more of that, all you have to do is ask."  
Ed's brain couldn't comprehend what just happened. "Uhhhhhh." Was all that came out of his mouth.  
May jumped off of Ed and turned to walk away. "Later Big Ed, and thanks again for the lift home."  
Ed ended up walking home still in a daze and stayed like that as he went to bed, still in his clothes. 

* * *

"Yo Lumpy." Eddy says snapping Ed out of the trance he was in. "Are you going to keep trying to walk into the fence or are you going to come in through the right way?"  
Ed was so lost in his mind that he was attempting to walk through the fence as opposed to the gate like the rest of the kids.  
"Ed sure has been acting very strange today, did you happen to find out what had happened from your sister?" Edd asks Marie as they walk past Ed and Eddy.  
Marie shakes her head. "Nope. When I went inside she was just getting into the shower. She was in there for a really long time, but everyone takes long showers sometimes."  
At the talk of May a question that he was curious of the answer to came to Edd. "Speaking of your sisters, how did they react when you told them about us?" He asks holding their joined hands up.  
"Well, May didn't seem to care , and Lee gave me a talking. I swear she acts more like a mom than an older sister sometimes."  
"Dare I ask what she talked to you about."  
Marie covers her face with her free hand. "Oh god, have you ever heard of the birds and the bees talk?" Marie felt embarrassed by this, she didn't want or need Lee to tell her the stuff that she told her.  
Edd's face turns a slight shade of red as he remembered the talk his father gave him. "Yes, yes I have. My father gave it to me not too long ago."  
"Think of that, but far more graphical and a lot less text book than it should have been."  
"Oh my." 

* * *

As the group of teens walked into the cafeteria Nazz spotted them. She saw Edd and Marie together on the dance floor and leaving the dance together and has been waiting to see them at school. "Guys guys guys!" She yells waving trying to get their attention from the table where Rolf, Kevin, and she are sitting.  
"Holy cow, you were right Nazz." Kevin says as the three boys and one girl walk over to them.  
Nazz grins as she sees Edd and Marie holding hands. "I told you they would end up together."  
Rolf turns away from the approaching teens and the two he is sitting next to. "Bah, your American ways of courtship confuses Rolf. Why did the middle Kanker not just tell the brainy Ed Boy that she fancied him?"  
Nazz didn't have an answer for Rolf, she doesn't know that she was part of what caused Marie to try and push Edd away. "I dunno Rolf, I'm sure she had her reasons." She says just before the others reach them and she shows her enthusiasm. "Heeeeeey guuuuys! So it looks like you had a good time at the dance."  
Marie's eye twitched ever so slightly at the sound of Nazz's voice, she still has some resentment towards the blond for dancing with her Edd, you can't get rid of almost six months of anger all in one night after all.  
Edd squeezes Marie's hand and looks at her with a smile before turning to Nazz. "That we did."  
Nazz is on the verge of squealing out of happiness for her friend. "I really wanna hear how it happened. Tell me everything."  
Surprisingly Edd didn't want to share what was said between Marie and him, it was their moment and he didn't want anyone to know. "Actually if you wouldn't mind Nazz, I would prefer to just leave it at Marie and I became a couple at the dance and are happy about it."  
Nazz is bummed that Edd didn't want to share, but it isn't her place to pry. So with a shrug of her shoulders she says; "Ok, so long as you're happy." 

* * *

That seemed to be everyone's reaction to Marie and Edd being a couple, so long as they were happy no one seemed to care. Which left Marie and Edd with no resistance to spending the last few weeks of school together as often as they could.  
School was almost as different as night and day for Edd. Marie wouldn't always walk with him to school, but they would spend every morning in the cafeteria together. Sometimes with the other teens, others would be away from everyone so they could have some privacy when Marie was feeling frisky and wanted to indulge in some kissing time with Edd before the start of the school day proper. Marie also moved from sitting as far away from Edd to sitting right next to him in Homeroom and Intro to Algebra, though it was Edd that moved to the front row next to her in Fine Arts. It should also be no surprise that they eat lunch together. Sometimes Edd would sit with the sisters and sometimes Marie would sit with the other Cul-de-sac teens. As time went by, the small ball of anger Marie had for Nazz dissipated. Nazz only tried prying into their relationship for the first day and then didn't really bother Marie much after. Which lead to Marie to not caring that she was around as much.

Marie loved every moment she had with Edd, deep deep down she still wanted what she thought Edd and her would someday be when she was mad at him, and now she has it. Sure some of the things he wanted to do were a little boring, but for every time he wanted to sit quietly and read he would join her in a more adventitious activity to make up for it. Edd didn't realize it at first, but Marie is starting to croup him slightly off his gentleman's path.  
Like the night Marie snuck out of the trailer, made her way to Edd's home, and climbed the drainpipe to his window. The weather was warm and the night air enjoyable so Edd left his window open while he slept, and Marie took advantage of that.  
"Edd, wake up." She whispered to him as she shook him to try and wake him up.  
Edd was a light sleeper so Marie didn't have to try too hard to wake him. He blinks his eyes and shakes his head. "Marie?" He yawns. "Why are you in my room? Is this a lucid dream?" He sits up in his bed rubbing his eyes. He has come to stop asking how she has done things like this, but to ask why she has done them.  
Marie moves from kneeling next to the bed to sitting on it next to him. "It's not a dream Edd. I came to go stargazing on your roof with you." She points out his open window at the cloudless sky. "Unless you'd rather stay in bed and do something even naughtier." She adds running her index finger up and down his pajama shirt.  
Edd quickly learned that Marie is a very flirty person, but for all the talk that she does, she has kept their relationship at a comfortable slow and steady pace for the fifteen year old Edd. "Let me get my shoes on and we can head out onto the roof."  
Marie smiles, it was the choice she wanted him to make, but she still wanted to tease him. "Good, cause these pants are not that easy to get off." She says as she moves off the bed.  
Edd has started to flirt back with her, something he never thought his mind could manage to do prior to the school dance. Marie is slowly awakening Edd's more adventurous side with each private moment they have. "You forget my dear, my engineering knowhow is quite advanced for someone of my age. I'm sure a simple zipper wouldn't stop me."  
Marie had to cover her mouth with both of her hands to stop herself from laughing as Edd tied his shoes. She never thought that Edd would start teasing her back when their relationship started, but she is happy that she is influencing him in a bad way, just as he is in a good way. Her grades have started to improve, and with her passing on the knowhow Edd has given her to her sisters May and Lee's grades have reached and maintained a solid C-.  
"You are a very naughty boy Edd." She says as they stand up from Edd's bed.  
Edd smiles, he knows that Marie is influencing him. "It's your fault you know." He says as they walk across his room to the open window  
Marie sits down on the window sill and wiggles her eyebrows at Edd. "Oh I know. I'm making you bad Edd, and you like it."  
Edd grabs the window frame above Marie and leans down to her, she is changing him in ways that no one else would have been able to. "If you are making me bad, does that mean I'm making you good, and you like being a good girl?"  
Marie feels her heart speed up. 'God is he freaking hot.' She thinks. "What me? Good?" She asks running her finger up and down Edd's cheek. "What in the world would ever make you think that I'm at all a good girl?"  
Edd leans the rest of the way down and kisses Marie. "I'll let you know when I find the evidence to back my claim."  
This makes Marie giggle as she grabs the window frame and swings herself out the window. Edd follows Marie out of the window and looks around. He has been on his roof a few times over the years, but never at night. The Cul-de-sac looked different from the angle and at night. The only lights were the few streetlights, houses looked empty and almost dead with the lacking of light. Edd looks to the side and down at Marie and smiles. She is sitting on the small space of roof in front of his bedroom window with her knees up to her chest and is looking up at the stars.  
The light of the night sky made Marie glow, and as Edd sat down he couldn't help but say; "You're beautiful Marie."  
Marie leans over and kissed him on the cheek. "And you're handsome Edd." She says as she leans against him. Edd makes Marie feel like a better person that she thinks she is, that she isn't a social reject from the trailer park. She lets out a long sigh as Edd wraps his arm around her. "So what are we looking at up here?" She is sure that Edd knew the names of the constellations in the night's sky.  
"Well let's see, if you look over there…"

Edd names off the various groups of stars that are visible in their part of the sky. Marie would make a comment or two at the names, but mostly she was listening to the sound of his voice and enjoying being with him.  
After a while of Edd talking about stars a question came to Marie. "Hey Edd, what do you think life would be like up here."  
Edd looks over at his girlfriend, things have calmed down between the two of them so his more scientific part of his brain had gained control. "What do you mean Marie?"  
Marie points up at the sky. "Comets live in space right? Like what would living up there and not down here be like?" Marie has always thought comets were cool and had hoped that one would have flown by as they star gazed.  
"I honestly do not know Marie, there is so much about space travel that we have not figured out yet as a species. But if I am honest, if you weren't there, it would be a very unenjoyable life." Marie lightning fast grabs Edd and starts kissing him. It was such a simple statement that Edd made, but it filled her with affection that she had to express to him.  
Edd himself didn't know why Marie has started kissing him, but he is not going to stop her to ask why.  
Though he is going to wish that he had stopped Marie at the point when she moved to his neck when he is in the bathroom the next morning and sees a mark on his neck where she had bit and sucked on his neck. 

* * *

The mark on Edd's neck prompted his parents to ask where it came from, and Edd being Edd, he couldn't lie to them.  
"My um… girlfriend did it to me…" He told them, as his face turns red.  
Edd's parents knew it was a hicky on his neck, they just wanted him to admit to it. "Well Eddward we are happy to hear that you have found a lady friend. However, this is not acceptable. You will be grounded for a week." His father says scolding him.  
Edd hangs his head out of shame. "I understand Father."  
"Also." His mother adds. "You are going to invite your lady friend over for dinner next Saturday."

And Edd did just that. He told Marie about his parents wanting her to come over for dinner.  
"Why would your folks want me to come over for dinner?" Marie asks as Edd and her walk down the hall, hand in hand, from the cafeteria on their way to Fine Arts.  
"I think." Edd opens the classroom door for her. "That Mother and Father wish to meet you. Being their only child I'm sure makes meeting the girlfriend that much more important to them."  
Marie has been enjoying every act of kindness Edd had done for her even though she thought it was a bit strange, she's just not used to men being genuinely nice to her. "I'm going to have to play nice and be a good little girl and all polite and stuff aren't I?" She asks walking through the door.  
Edd ponders this for a moment. His parents seeing Marie as a well mannered and behaved lady would certainly put her in their good graces, but that wouldn't be the Marie he knows and feels an overwhelming level of affection for. "Personally, I think you should be yourself. My parents should see you for who you are not what they expect you to be. But maybe hold back any cursing you'd want to do."  
"So just keep it PG, I can do that." 

* * *

The following Saturday, with only two weeks left in the school year, Marie is standing outside of Edd's parents house. Despite not really caring what people think of her, say for Edd and her own family, Marie still wanted to try and impress her boyfriend's parents. So she dug through her and her sisters shared closet and found the nicest looking clothing she owned, a black dress shirt she's ripped the sleeves off of and her red and black plaid skirt. She even tried to make her hair more presentable. Where normally she would only care about getting her bangs to look right leaving the rest to sit as it fell, she spent a considerable amount of time brushing her hair into some form of order, but months of letting it stay in a messy state has trained it to be that way. So her hair was only slightly more organized than normal.  
With the confidence of Edd liking who she is and the unyielding will of a Kanker Marie knocks on the door.  
Seconds after the knock the door is opened, and there was Edd who also dressed up for the evening in one of his white dress shirts and black dress pants. "Good evening Marie." He says smiling at his girlfriend.  
Marie smiles back, even though she sees him dressed up every day at school she still thinks he looks handsome. "Hey Edd, I hope I made it in time."  
"Your timing couldn't be better actually. Mother just pulled the lasagna out of the oven." Edd stands to the side to let Marie into the house.  
Marie has never had the chance to really look around Edd's house the few times she's made her way in it when she used to chase Edd and his friends with her sisters. The walls are lined with rich purple wallpaper, blue carpet wall to wall, and a few pictures dotted the walls. To the left was the living room with the same wallpaper and carpet, and a couch as far as Marie could see. To her right was the kitchen, but she couldn't see into it as there are two adults standing in the doorway.  
"Hello, you must be Marie." A tall thin woman with brown hair and rich green eyes, the same ones that Edd has, says with a polite smile to Marie.  
"Yeah, I mean yes I am." Marie caught herself, she was going to try her best at having good manners this night.  
This time it was Edd's father that spoke. "It is nice to finally meet you." Right away Marie saw how much Edd looks like his father and she can't help but think how good Edd will look when he is full grown.  
"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Vincent." Marie greets Edd's parents this time remembering to be polite. "It's nice to meet you."  
Edd's father turns to the side and gestures into the kitchen. "Well come on you kids, dinner is ready. Eddward can help your mother finish setting the table." 

* * *

Marie had no idea what to say to Edd's parents, so the four of them sat around the round table eating the meal in silence.  
"So Marie." Edd's mother says finally breaking the silence that fell over the four of them. "With your tenth year of school ending, have you given any thought on what you want to do after high school?"  
Marie had just put a fork full of food into her mouth, so she had a minute to think of an answer, but she couldn't think of anything and said the first thing that came to her. "I dunno, maybe something artistic that will let me draw."  
"Oh you like to draw?" Edd's mother asks.  
The words had come out without her really thinking about what she was saying, Marie has never told anyone about her love of drawing. "Yeah…" She says as she feels her cheeks turning slightly red.  
Edd had no idea about Marie's artistic nature, after all the observation he did he still only knows very little about his girlfriend. "Marie is the top of our art class. She know so much about classical artists and their works, it's rather amazing."  
Marie felt a hint of embarrassment from Edd's complement, it's not that she didn't enjoy it, just that him saying it in front of his parents made it strange for her. "It's not that big of a deal."  
"Well art historians are few and far between at a young age. So with the right schooling behind you, you could end up in a very high demand position Marie." Edd's father was talking off-the-cuff as he cut a piece of lasagna off of his serving.  
Marie knew that any schooling after high school was out of her reach. Bad grades, bad record of behavior, not to mention her family's financial burdens that keep her mother working twelve hour shifts six days a week. But she wasn't going to inform Edd's parents of that, deep down she wants them to like her and that was just information that would keep them from doing so. "I dunno what my future holds, living life one day at a time ya know?"  
Edd's mother found Marie's lack of a plan mildly disturbing. "Well, you are still quite young. We can't expect everyone to be like Eddward and follow in his father's footsteps and become a lawyer." She says patting Edd's wrist.  
This was something Marie didn't know about Edd. "A lawyer Edd? I didn't know you were a law fan."  
As she said this, Marie saw a look in Edd's eyes, one she's never seen him bear before. It was a look of shame and fear of getting caught. Edd gives a smile, one Marie could tell was half fake, before saying; "Yes. I do hope to follow in Father's wake."  
A question came to Edd's father. "Going a little off topic, Marie, why do you call Eddward Edd over the nickname that his other friends use for him, Double Dee isn't it Son?"  
Marie's real reason that she stopped using Double Dee was an attempt to add more distance between Edd and her when she was angry with him, but once that lifted it had just become the norm for her. "Well… Everyone calls him that, and I'm not everyone. I wanted something different to call him."  
"I see, very… unique of you." Edd's father says. 

* * *

After that the meal fell quiet again, and stayed that way until it was finished and Edd helped his parents clear the table.  
"Eddward, why don't you walk Marie home while your father and I clean up." Edd's mother says as she turns on the hot water tap on the sink.  
The idea of walking Marie home alone was a solid win for Edd, any chance of spending some quiet alone time with his girlfriend was a good play in Edd's book. "Very well Mother. Marie, if you are ready to, I shall escort you home."  
Hoping to avoid any more awkward conversations with his parents, Marie happily accepts. "That would be great." Marie turns to Edd's parents. "Thank you for inviting me to dinner."  
Edd's parents turn around from the sink. "You're welcome Marie, it was nice meeting you." His mother says.  
"Be home quickly Eddward." His father added.  
"I will be Father." Edd says as Marie and him make their way to the front door.

Once outside, and holding each other's hands, Marie asks; "So how did I do? Was I a good house guest?"  
Edd smiles as they start to walk. "You did just fine, like I knew you would."  
"Cool, so what do you really wanna be when you grow up?"  
Edd turned his head to face her as they walked. "Was it that obvious?"  
"To me? Ya. You clearly don't want to be a lawyer like your pop."  
"To be honest, I would very much like to become an Entomologist, a scientist who studies insects."  
"You wanna be a bug scientist? I didn't know you were a fan of eight legged creeps."  
"Well, spiders are not insects actually, they are arachnids. But yes I have always found ants in particular to be quite fascinating." Edd says as his face starts to glow from the excitement of talking about his favorite field of science. "But what about you Marie, do you actually like to draw, or is that just something you told my parents to be polite?"  
Marie looks away from Edd and scratches the back of her head with her free hand, she has kept her drawing a secret for so long that it just feel odd talking about it. "Yeah, it's… it's kinda my thing."  
"Is that what your black book is? A sketchbook?" A sketchbook was one of the things Edd had thought it to be during the later part of observing Marie, but he never did find out.  
"Maybe." She says, the guilt of him being right was all over her face.  
"I would love to see what you have made someday."  
Now that she wasn't worried about messing up in front of Edd's parents, Marie get a very Kanker idea. "Well how about you let me draw you in a pose of my choosing, and maybe I'll let you see inside my book."  
"Ok." Edd says without hesitation. "How about tomorrow?"  
Marie's sly and slightly evil grin comes to her face. "Deal, but remember I get to choose the pose." 

* * *

"Um… Marie, do I have to do it like this?"  
"Hey, you agreed that I get to choose the look remember."  
"Yes, but I thought you would just want me to sit or stand in a certain way. I didn't think you would want to draw me without a shirt on."  
Edd had come over to The Park n' Flush early the next morning just as Marie had asked him. And now after the greetings, and kissing, Edd is sitting sideways in a chair with his arms covering his bare chest as Marie sat across from him with the fabled black book and a pencil in hand.  
"Come on Edd, no one is home and I promise that I will never let anyone but us see it." She says trying to convince Edd to go along with her request.  
"It's just, it's rather embarrassing. I don't want to make you think any less of me due to my, lack of physique."  
"Well, for one I think you look damn sexy as you are. You make the skinny nerd look look good. And second, what is there to be embarrassed about? It's just your shirt. I'd take my top off if I knew you wouldn't get distracted by the goods."  
Edd's face turns red at the thought of seeing Marie without her black sleeveless shirt with the spray painted skull on it covering her upper body. "And what makes you think I would do such a thing?" he asks lying.  
Marie grins. "Well if you think you can handle it." She starts to pull her shirt up over her head, but stops when Edd speaks.  
"No no no, you don't need to do that. You win." Having been beat Edd accepts his fate and slowly removes his arms from covering his chest.  
Marie takes a quick moment to admire Edd's skinny teen boy body. "Like I said, sexy." She says as she starts to make fait basic shapes in her book as the start off the drawing.

After a while Edd became comfortable with having his shirt off around Marie and started to watch her draw. The look on her face as she looked at her book and the every so often look up at Edd just made him feel all warm and fuzzy. 'You look so focused Marie.' He thinks as she takes a longer than normal look at him. 'Your beauty is more than just your looks, your face shows just how deep it goes.'  
Marie stopped her drawing and squints at the tip of her pencil. "Is something wrong Marie?" Edd asks.  
"Na, just my pencil is getting too flat. Needs a sharpening." Marie pulls out her butterfly knife and flips it open and starts to carve the pencil back into a finer point.  
As Marie makes the planned cuts on her pencil, a question comes to Edd. "Marie, if you don't mind me asking, where did you get your butterfly knife?"  
Marie doesn't take her eyes off of sharpening the pencil, she needs a very fine point and has to watch what she is doing. "I got it at the swapmeet with my birthday money."  
"When was you birthday?" Edd asks as Marie start to draw again.  
"The end of November."  
Edd's lack of knowledge about the Kanker sisters sparked another question. "Is it both of your sister's birthday as well?"  
Marie stops drawing and thinks, opening up about what Edd had asked was something she wasn't sure about. It's a closely guarded Kanker family secret. "You swear on pain of death not to say anything to anyone else?"  
Edd wasn't sure why Marie needed to ask such a question, but he quickly says; "Of cores. If you need to keep something private then I will do just that."  
Marie slides her pencil behind her ear and closes her book before taking a deep breath. "We don't have the same birthday. We're not triplets like everyone seems to think, we each have a different dad remember? Lee is a year and a half older than me and May is ten months younger. We just let everyone think we're the same age." It turned out to be not as hard as Marie thought it would be to tell Edd this, he just sat there in silence as she reveled a big Kanker Family secret.  
"So, what would you like as a late birthday gift then Marie?" Edd asks breaking the silence of the trailer kitchen.  
Edd's casual ask of what she wants for a gift threw her off. "It doesn't bother you what I said?"  
Edd shakes his head slightly. "No. Who you're father is, and your sisters for that matter, doesn't matter to me. Nor does the fact that you three are not the same age. That is what you are, not who you are, and it is who you are that I admire Marie."  
'Can you just marry me and keep me on this magic carpet ride?' She thinks as her heart starts to explode with her affection for Edd. "Edd. The things you say could make a girl's pants fall off."  
Edd's eyes grow wide and his face turns red. "Um… what?" he didn't fully understand what Marie meant, but there is very few things that could come from "a girls pants falling off".  
Marie giggles, She hopes that this kind of fun will always be in their relationship. "If you're a good bad boy, maybe someday you'll find out what I mean."  
"The meaning behind your statement isn't lost on my Marie, just why you would say such a thing."  
Marie grin wider. "Think about it and you will see, or I'll tell you when you're older." 

* * *

About an hour or so later Marie needed to stop drawing, her hand was starting to hurt and she was getting hungry.  
"You don't have to put your shirt back on if you don't want too ya know." Marie says as she looks through the fridge for something to eat.  
Edd pulls his orange t-shirt back over his head, happy to have the cloth covering his upper body again, despite Marie's enjoyment of him being shirtless. "I prefer to be fully clothed Marie."  
Marie pulls a pack of cellophane wrapped cheese and a bottle of mayonnaise out of the fridge. "Aww, you're no fun." She says jokingly as she pulls a loaf of bread off of the top of the fridge.  
Edd walks over and kisses Marie on her cheek from behind her. "Sorry Marie, you did say I'm a very boring person once."  
Marie turns around. "You're not boring Edd. Well yeah you do some pretty lame stuff, but that doesn't make you boring." Marie wishes she hadn't said all that stuff about Edd that day at the bookstore, she was in a different mindset then she is now.  
Emboldened by his time spent with Marie, Edd rests his hands on her hips and kisses her on the tip of her nose. "I know I'm quite a boring person for a teenage boy Marie, and I'm fine with that. Being who I am is how we came to be an us instead of a we." He smiles at her and kisses her on the lips this time.  
Marie falls into Edd's chest, she is at a loss for words and the two just stand there for a moment. "Edd." She finally says. "You are a master of words."  
"Years of being far ahead of the reading level."  
Marie hugs Edd and hears his stomach rumble. "Would you like a sandwich too? You sound hungry."  
Edd lets out a short laugh. "I would love one Marie."

Marie got an odd sense of satisfaction as she made a simple mayonnaise and cheese sandwich for Edd and her. Like making a meal for her boyfriend was something she has wanted to do for years, and she has started to hum as she spread the mayonnaise over the white bread.

As Marie started making the sandwiches Edd offered to clear some space on the kitchen table that they were sitting at as Marie drew so they would have room to eat. The table is covered in textbooks and notebooks, and it didn't take Edd very long to see that the sisters were attempting to do the homework assigned from the previous week of school. Edd felt proud of his girlfriend and her sisters that they are trying, more than can be said for Eddy, but he quickly sees that they are having to struggle to understand the material.  
"Ta da, lunch." Marie says smiling as she sets the two paper towels down on the table with the sandwiches of mayonnaise and cheese on each of them. "You want something to drink?"  
Edd sets the last of the textbooks down on the pile of them he had made, a perfect stack from the biggest to smallest. "A glass of water would be appreciated."  
"M'kay." Marie turns around and opens up the cabinet over where she was making the sandwiches and pulls out a pair of old and battered plastic cups.  
As Marie fills the cups with water from the tap, Edd actually looks around the kitchen for the first time, all day he's been focusing on Marie so he hadn't really seen the home Marie lives in. The round table, beaten up and chipped in several places, is surrounded by four different styles of chairs. The fridge looked at least twenty years old and is dented and the paint is chipped. The linoleum flooring was worn down and the cabinets green paint was chipped and faded. It finally clicked inside Edd's head, the Kanker family was poor. 'Life must have been a constant uphill battle for Marie and her sisters.' He thinks as Marie sets the glasses of water down on the table.  
Marie sits down next to Edd and smiles at him, she has been in a very cheerful mood the whole time Edd had been with her this day. "Lunch time!" She yells before taking a big bite out of her sandwich.  
Edd couldn't help but laugh at his girlfriend. "You are in a very good mood aren't you?"  
Marie looks over at him and smiles wide as she chew her mouth full of food. "Mmm hmm." She nods and takes another bite.  
"You're very cute when you're happy you know." Edd says before taking a bite out of his own sandwich. He's never had a plane mayonnaise and cheese sandwich before, so it was a very new experience and taste to him, but he wasn't going to show that to Marie. She made him lunch and he is going to eat the whole thing, even if the taste was not something he fully enjoyed.  
"That's how I am." Marie holds off on taking another bite. "Cute when happy, and sexy when bad."  
"You know, people might think you are a tad full of yourself Marie if they heard that."  
"What it's true. Are you willing to say that you don't think that about me?"  
Edd's face turns red. Yes he thinks Marie is cute when happy, but he also finds her very attractive when she is playing up her bad girl nature. "Can I plead the fifth?"  
"Only if you admit to being insane over me."  
"Um…" Edd didn't know what to say, so he opts to change the subject. "So I saw that you and your sisters are attempting to do your homework. I have to say it makes me happy to see you trying."  
Marie knew what Edd was doing, he didn't want to admit that she was right. "Yeah we're doing our best." She goes along with the subject change. "But we are so not going to pass those tests next week."  
Edd sets his sandwich down, he knew what he needed to do the moment he saw their struggling work. "I can help you and your sister prep for the tests Marie."  
Marie almost saw this coming, Edd is always willing to help others when it came to school work. "See that's not fair."  
"What do you mean?" Edd asks, confused as to what would be unfair.  
"Well if you help all of us, how am I going to get you alone and have my way with you?"  
Edd's face burns red, despite all the time he has spent with Marie he is still never fully ready for what may come out of her mouth. "Ah…"  
Marie giggles, she guess Edd's brain was starting to stop working properly from all the suggestive flirting she has been doing to him, so she had to choose between dumping a bucket of ice water on his head, or telling him she was joking. And the water would probably not lead to fixing the problem at hand. "I'm just messing with ya Edd. If you wanna try and help us, I'm sure my sisters would try to listen to you." 

* * *

So later that night Edd is standing before the green chalkboard in his garage with Marie, Lee, and May sitting at a folding table in front of him. The sisters didn't want anyone to know that they were seeking help for school, they have an image to keep up after all, and had made Edd keep the garage door down so no one could see them.  
"Ok ladies, I figure it would be best if we talked about what is most likely going to be on the tests this week." Edd says as he opens his biology book.

To his surprise the sisters don't say anything, they are just sat there looking at him and listing. It was really odd seeing them like this to Edd, but the sister know they need to pass these tests so they are bringing their A game and left their Kanker ways at home. Sometimes the sisters would ask Edd a question, and they didn't beat around the bush or make it a joke, every question was an honest question.  
"Ok lets stop there." Edd had just finished going over the points of history that has been frequently talked about in their World History class. "The test seclude is Biology and World History for tomorrow. If you would like, we can go over Sophomore English and Intro to Algebra tomorrow."  
The following week of school was going to have a unique schedule, the first three hours of the day is for testing and the rest of the day was for shorten classes of the subjects that were not tested. The Cul-de-sac teen have never had a full week of testing like this, so it was going to be interesting for them.  
The sisters all stand up from the table. "Thank you for the lesson Edd." Marie says as she walks over to her boyfriend.  
"Yeah so now when we fail we can say we at least tried." Lee starts walking to the side door of the garage.  
"Don't say that Lee. I believe you and your sisters can pass the tests. Just remember what I told you, if you don't get a question right away, move on to the next one and do the ones you know, then go back and try the others." Edd dose have faith in the sisters, sure they are not going to come out with top marks, but if they apply themselves they can get the points the need to pass.  
Lee shrugs her shoulders. "Eh, we'll see what happens. Thanks, you know, for… for caring enough to try and help." Lee didn't believe Marie when she told her about Edd offering to help the sisters prepare for the tests, but after the few hours spent in his garage Lee sees that Edd does care. And not just for Marie, but for all three sisters. 'Ya got a keeper there Marie.' She thinks before yelling at her littlest sister; "Yo May, let's get out of here, I need something bad to eat and TV after all this learning. See you at home Marie, don't stay out too late playing schoolhouse."  
Edd isn't sure what Lee meant by "playing schoolhouse", but he is sure that it is something inappropriate. "It is a school night Lee, so I can assure you that Marie will be home shortly, it would be best if you three get a good night's rest for the tests also."  
Lee doesn't respond back, May and her both just walk out of the garage, and once the door shuts Marie turns to Edd and says; "So professor, you got any free time for some private lessons?"  
Marie's attempt at seduction went over Edd's head. "I guess we could go over a few things that you are still unsure of Marie, what did you want to go over." Marie pushes Edd against the green car that was in the garage. "I could use some refreshing on anatomy." She says with a tone of seduction in her voice as she runs her index finger up and down Edd's chest.  
"Oh?" It finally hits Edd. "Oh, well I suppose we could take a few minutes to-" He is cut off by Marie kissing him.  
"Just shut up and kiss me Edd." She whispers to him before she reconnected their lips.

Marie is enjoying the late night kissing, but when she feels things starting to heat up too much she pulls away from Edd. "I think we need to stop, ya know, before things go a bit too far." Marie is sure that if Edd and her keep going with their kissing things might happen that she isn't ready to happen yet in their relationship.  
Edd kind of understood what Marie meant, he is a lot less aware of what could happen between Marie and him than she is, he understands the biological workings just not what they could get to alone and in the heat of the moment. "I understand Marie, it is getting late."  
Reluctantly Edd takes his hands from Marie's back and she lets go of the shirt material over his chest she had bunched up in her fists. "Thanks for helping us Edd. You really are an amazing guy."  
Edd wanted to gently touch her cheek and kiss her again, but he fought against his hormonal desires and just smiles instead. "Happy to be of assistance."  
Edd walks over and opens the garage door for Marie. "I'll see you tomorrow then."  
Marie leans up and kissed him on the cheek. "Bye bye Edd, see ya in the morning cute." And with that Marie walks out the door and Edd watches her walk out of his family's yard and be consumed by the darkness of the night. As he watched her walk away Edd felt the same feeling that Marie did the night of the dance just as Ed ran past them. Edd is starting to fall in love with Marie Kanker, and he is starting to fall fast, he just doesn't understand it. 

* * *

The next morning Marie was waiting for Edd at the end of the Cul-de-sac by herself, she got a good head start on the morning over her sisters and opted to see her boyfriend instead of waiting for them to finish getting ready. "Hi ya boyfriend." Marie said greeting Edd with a hug before moving to kiss him.  
Ed and Eddy have gotten used to Edd and Marie's public displays of affection, but it still bugged Eddy when it interrupted them or slowed their walk to school.  
"Come on you two." Eddy says annoyed. "We get it, you two are stupid for each other. Can we get back to walking to school?"  
"Why you in a rush to get to school?" Marie asks as she and Edd break their kiss.  
Edd takes Marie's hand with his. "Well, it seems that Eddy here got himself a new lady friend at the dance and is hoping to see her this morning." Edd is happy and proud of his friend for catching the interest of a girl at their school.  
"DUDE!" Eddy yells at Edd. "Why did you say that? Now Marie is going to tell Lee!" Lee finding out that Eddy danced with a girl at the dance was a worry that he has had on his mind for the past few weeks.  
"Actually, I found out last night that Lee don't care about you anymore Eddy. She's got this older guy that's been talking to her apparently." Marie says revealing that Lee has a new male interest.  
When Marie got home after the night before she found Lee sitting outside the trailer talking on the phone and Marie didn't stop pestering her sister until she told Marie that it was a guy she met at school that she found mildly interesting.  
"Aww, good for Lee, romance seems to be in the air as of late." Edd says happy for his girlfriend's sister. 

* * *

As the four teens neared the gas station Edd looks at his pocket watch. "You know, we are making good time. And seeing as we only have a few more of these walks to do, why don't we stop by the gas station for a quick snack? The teachers did say we could bring something to snack on for the testes so long as it wasn't messy." The whole time that the teens have been going to St. Mary Abbots Edd has told Ed and Eddy that it would be a waste of time to stop at the gas station on their walk, even on days that they made it to school twenty or more minutes early.  
"You, Double Dee, want to take a detour from the walk to school?" Eddy didn't believe the words that came out of Edd's mouth.  
"I don't see why it's such a big deal Eddy, you ask about going into the gas station at least once a week." Edd says as he leads the group of teen into the small parking area of the old long white building with a pair of gas pumps in front.  
Edd opens the door and lets Marie in, followed by Ed and Eddy. "Packs off please kids." The clerk behind the counter says as Edd enters himself.  
The four teens drop their bags onto the floor by the door and fan out into the small shop to find something to buy.  
Marie follows Edd down an aisle to a display of trail mix. She didn't have any money to spend at the shop so she wasn't even looking at anything, she was just enjoying the time with Edd. "Are you getting something Marie?" Edd asks as he picks out a small bag of trail mix.  
Marie gives a short head shake. "I don't have any cash on me."  
Edd looks from Marie to the display of snacks. Of cores Marie wouldn't have the funds to spend on something at the gas station, he realized. She had spent the last of her birthday money at the paper shop in the mall getting more pages for her sketchbook leaving her with no extra money. "Go ahead and pick something out, and I will get it for you."  
Marie isn't surprised by Edd's offer, but she didn't feel right accepting it. "You don't have to do that Edd."  
"I know I don't have too, but I want too. Spoiling you is something I intend to do occasionally."  
Marie grins. "Spoiling huh? So if I still say no to this, can I get a pony later?" She loves that Edd wants to treat her, but she wouldn't be Marie Kanker if she didn't get a joke in.  
Edd laughs. "We'll see about a pony later. But for now, go ahead and pick something out Marie."  
Marie grabs the same bag of trail mix Edd picked up. "I am so holding you to that pony."

After paying for their snacks the teens went to leave, Ed and Eddy picked up their own bags, but Edd picked up his and Marie's. As he held it out to Marie Edd sees that the part of Marie's bag that was covered in the black marker, that was used to cover something up, now has a white heart with DD + M inside of it.  
Marie saw Edd look at the heart as he held the bag to her. "Not as good as the original, but I think the whiteout looks cool."  
Edd was unsure what Marie meant. "I'm sorry Marie, I do not know what you mean."  
Marie points at the heart. "I drew this on originally with a sharpie a few years ago, but I kinda got mad and scribbled over it when I was… you know. But I wanted it back, so I did this the other day."  
Edd found a unique form of symbology in the heart. "It's like the original, but different and newer."  
Marie throws her bag over her shoulder. "Yep. Hey! That's like, um… me and…" Marie realized that the heart she has on her backpack is a perfect representation of how she feels about Edd. How she once cared for him, lost that caring and then got a slightly different and more noticeable form of affection for him.  
Edd kissed her on the cheek. "It's like what is in your heart my dear." 

* * *

Even with the stop off at the gas station the teens made it to school with ample time to spare, so Edd took this time to help Ed and Eddy prep for the tests of the day.  
As Edd talked with Ed and Eddy Marie opted to get into a little mischief, nothing serious, she just wanted to have a little fun.  
Quietly Marie takes Edd's messenger bag from besides him and places it on her lap before turning away from him. Marie opens up the small pouch on the front of her bag and digs around until she finds the small white plastic bottle. Grinning and quietly giggling Marie carefully paints on Edd's bag with the whiteout. 'Oh I am such a bag girl.' She thinks as she admires her work.

Once she is done she carefully sets the bag down where she got it from. And her timing couldn't be better, the bell rings just as she was zipping her own bag closed.  
"Well gentlemen, I hope that helps you today. We best be getting to Homeroom now." Edd stands up from the table and reaches for his bag, but stops when he sees it. He looks from his bag to Marie with a looks that Marie could help but giggle at. "Really Marie?" He asks. He oddly isn't bothered by the defacing of his bag that Marie had done. The white heart and DD + M she had painted on the center of the front of his bag matched the one Marie has on her bag.  
Marie stands up from her seat. "What, you don't want everyone in the school to know that you're mine?"  
Edd pulls the strap of his bag over his head, a feat that is slightly easier to do without having to watch out for his hat. "I never said I didn't, but perhaps a different way than tagging my bag."  
"Ooo, like matching t-shirts? Or maybe we could get our names tattooed on our arms?" Marie is seriously joking about that last part, she know that tattooing a significant other's name is a sure fired way to put an expiration date on the relationship. Her mother has three names on her arm that have been covered up when the girls were little after all.  
"We are far too young for tattoos Marie, and we can't wear t-shirts over our uniforms. Maybe something else a bit more achievable."  
"Like matching heart tags on our bags."  
"OH MY GOD! You guys are literally worse than Nazz and Kevin ever were. You two are the biggest love sick fools in all of Peach Creek." Eddy couldn't take it anymore, he had reached his maximal amount of Edd and Marie affection for the day.  
Edd and Marie both laugh as Eddy storms off. "Think we are getting to him?" Marie asks as they join hands.  
Edd starts to lead Marie out of the cafeteria. "Well, I'm sure it's more than just us. Everyone has their own lives they are living. After all it isn't always about us."  
"Psh, all the good stuff is about us, cause we are awesome." 

* * *

As Edd and Marie's relationship has been developing, everyone else from the Cul-de-sac has been living their own lives as well.  
Lee did actually meet a guy, he is a Junior and a pretty good looking guy. About six feet tall and short blond hair and a very tone build, if you asked Lee she wouldn't say so, but she found the guy a little interesting.  
After the dance Ed and May would sometimes end up missing in between arriving at school and Homeroom, but no one was able to get anything out of May or Ed about where they were. The secret of what was happening is a very closely guarded one. One that May knew would only end what is happening if word got out.  
Nazz and Kevin are doing fantastic themselves. Nazz landed one of the filler spots on the cheer team, and instantly made zero friends with any of the other girls on the team. Word had gotten out that not only was she a public school girl, but also that she was "nice to that riff raft of a Kanker", something that the private school girls didn't take kindly too.  
Kevin had chosen to not try and get into any of the sports teams the school had, instead wanted to get some good grades going to help get him into a good school on a sports scholarship for baseball, his primary sport.  
Rolf seemed to just be there, not doing anything or saying much, the vast rules and dress code of the school kept him from being himself.

And then there was Eddy. Surprisingly for Eddy a few days after the dance he got a text message from Victoria, and the two of them have been doing a lot of texting in between classes, at lunch and outside of school. They haven't met up in person again, she is involved in a lot of extracurricular activities, which was probably a good thing for Eddy. He is always having to stop himself from saying something very stupid, immature, or just downright offensive to Victoria. He is starting to really like this girl and is trying really hard to be better, he has even stopped "perving", as Nazz described it, on all of the other girls in the school.  
Something Victoria told Eddy during one of their texting conversations was that the majority of the private school kids are saying a lot of bad things about the teens from Peach Creek High. But from what she has seen of Eddy, the other teens seem to be wrong. Hearing this, Eddy made it his goal to not live up to what others are saying about his fellow public school students, that he is going to show Victoria that he is a good guy. 

* * *

**AN: A quick little note, I'm going to have to start spacing the chapters out more, The Division has just consumed so much of my free time that I am not keeping up with my writing pace that I would prefer. I'm not going to stop writing this, just taking longer too.**


	6. Good Things and Bad

After the day of testing, which Marie found to be a bit easier than she thought it was going to be, Marie and her two sisters were back in Edd's garage for another round of pretest help.  
Edd is no longer bound to work in the school library after school as punishment, he still goes there a few days of the week to help Mrs. Parker out, so he was able to set up and plan out the second round of tutoring the Kanker Sisters more than the day before.  
Also the sisters brought their school things with them so Edd was able to work on what they needed the most help with. Again like the night before the sisters were not their normal selves, they were good students to Edd as he went over Sophomore English and Intro to Algebra. Edd noticed that May would look off towards the wall at random times, and after the fifth he realized that she was looking off in the direction of Ed's house. But he just shook it off as a quinncidence.

"Ok ladies, I do believe that we are done." Edd says, three hours later. "Unless you would like me to go over anything again."  
"Na, were good. The way you tell it, this math stuff ain't that hard." Edd smiles at Lee's comment as the sisters start packing away their things.  
"Yeah. I think we can actually do this stuff tomorrow." May adds.  
"I have every bit of confidence that you can do this ladies. You are all smart and can do it if you believe." Edd starts to wipe off his chalkboard, not seeing the sisters make for the exit.  
"Well, thanks again. We'll see ya later then." Edd heard Lee say before the door closes.  
Edd was sad that Marie seemed to have not said goodbye before she left with her sisters. 'Maybe they have chores to do and she needed to get home right away.' He thinks, thinking of a logical reason as to why his girlfriend didn't say her farewells.  
"So are ya going to turn around at all or just keep playing with your board?"  
The sound of Marie's voice made Edd jump and spin around. Sitting on top of the folding table is Marie with her legs crossed and her black sketchbook pressed to her chest with her arms crossed over it. "Marie, I thought you had left with you sisters."  
"I would never leave without a goodbye kiss silly. Now come here, I wanna show you something." Marie gives Ed the "come here finger", and he complies tossing the eraser onto the tray of the chalk board.  
Edd moves to stand in front of Marie. "What do you wish to show me?" He asks.  
Marie smiles and opens her sketchbook. "This." She says showing him the drawing of him without a shirt on. "I finished it today and I wanted to show it to you."  
Edd is amazed at the amount of detail in the drawing. "Marie, this… this is amazing. You have such a great talent." Edd isn't over exaggerating because Marie is his girlfriend and he wanted to give her more praise than is deserved. The drawing really does look amazing, if it wasn't done with pencil it could be mistaken as an actual photo.  
Marie grins, she is extremely happy that Edd likes her drawing. "Thanks Edd, you were really fun to draw."  
Edd leans down and gives Marie a quick kiss before saying; "You have a gift Marie, one you should definitely consider sharing. The world would be lessened by not seeing what you can do."  
"Wow…" Marie's eyes grow wide.  
"Is something the matter Marie?"  
Marie closes her book and sets it on the table. "No, nothing is wrong. I just think my mind was a little blown. The things you tell me Edd just amaze me. Like, are so damn sweet that I have no idea how to react. You make me feel things I have never felt before with just a handful of words."  
Edd slides his fingers gently across the side of her head tucking what little hair he could behind her ear. "You are worth everything I have said and more Marie. Things may not have started out the best, and we have only been together for a short amount of time, but this feels so amazing and different that I can't help what I say."  
'Brain, I know you are there, pay attention. We need to remember this. This is the moment in our life that we can never forget. We are never going to let Edd go again, we are going to hold onto him no matter what Mr. Toad's Wild Ride call life will take us.' Marie tells herself inside her head as she kisses him. "Edd, I think I-" Marie was once again about to drop a four lettered word bomb on him, but is cut short by the door leading into the house opening up.  
"Eddward dinner is ready, do your friends- oh, hello Marie." Edd's mother opened the door and Edd and Marie had just enough time to separate before she saw them holding each other.  
"Hi Mrs. Vincent." Marie says thankful that Edd's mother stopped her. 'Fuck brain, stop trying to make me say I love you to Edd. It's that kind of shit this early that is going to mess this up.'  
"I thought you were helping your friends prep for tomorrow's tests." Edd's mother says looking around to see if there were any other teens in the garage.  
"I am, well, I was. We had just finished." Edd responds back.  
Edd's mother didn't fully believe Edd. "I see, well it's dinner time and unless you plan on inviting Marie, it's time for her to go home."  
Marie jumps off the table. "Thank you for the offer, but I should be getting home. Mom is going to want to hear how I did on the tests."  
Edd's mother was a little sad to see that Marie couldn't join the family for dinner, despite Marie's rough nature Edd's mother is starting to like Marie. "Oh, well you have a good night then Marie."  
"I will." Marie gives Edd a quick kiss on the cheek, which made him blush because his mother saw the kiss. "Bye bye Edd, see ya later."  
"See you on the marrow Marie." Edd replies as his girlfriend leaves through the same door her sisters did only moments ago.

* * *

The second day of testing was not as stressful for Marie, Edd's help with Intro to Algebra had actually sunk in and made the hour and a half test before lunch easier that she thought it was going to be. But the third day, that was a day that could have killed the teens.  
The third day of the testing was two hours of the Presidential Fitness Test with a two mile run around the school's track.  
"Who in their right mind does this to kids?" Eddy asks as he falls to the grass on the inside of the track, he had just finished his two mile run.  
"I think… you are… right Eddy." Nazz falls down next to Edd with Kevin very winded. "The coach does enjoy trying to kill us."  
Ed sits down next to his friends, the two mile run didn't seem to bother him that much.  
"Hey Ed." Eddy doesn't lift his head from the ground. "Where is Double Dee?"  
Edd points across the field. "He's still going Eddy."  
Eddy lifts his head just enough to see Edd still trying to finish the run, with Marie right by his side.  
"You got to admit, even with everything that's happened, they do make a cute couple." Nazz says as she moves to use Kevin's stomach as a pillow.  
"You haven't seen how they act all the time." Edd points at Nazz. Edd and Marie act rather over the top when it comes to affection for each other sometimes, and there have been several times where Ed and or Eddy were there. "It's like a never ending sappy movie with those two."  
Nazz closes her eyes. "Still, you have to be happy for them regardless."

"Come on Edd, you can do this." Marie says as she tries to motivate her boyfriend. Edd had been slowly losing steam as he ran the two miles and as he broke the mile and a quart mark he was almost out of energy and breath.  
"Marie… I… think… I'm going… to… pass out." Edd says between gasps for air.  
Marie could have easily finished the run by this point, but she didn't want to leave Edd alone. "If you need to, we can slow down Edd, I don't want you killing yourself."  
"But… we are… being… timed."  
Marie takes Edd's hand and forces him to slow down. "So what? It won't mean anything if you run yourself into the hospital. Slow down and just walk a bit with me, at the very least until you get your breath back."  
Edd is able to finally breathe properly as Marie and him walk over the jogging they were doing. "Thank you Marie, sometimes I forget that Physical Education is a class I can't get top marks in."  
Marie smiles, Edd has come to enjoy her smile very much, as with a few of her other key features. "You're welcome, seeing you suffer like that was killing me."  
"I think I should just give up on this Marie, I'm not going to make the timer."  
"No." Edd didn't give up on Marie, so she isn't going to let him do so on the run. "You can't give up Edd. Sure you might not get a good time, but if you give up now, you'll do it again and again until you're giving up on things left and right."  
Marie is right, and Edd knew it. If he were to give up now, he would start to give up on more challenges in his life. "You are right Marie, I won't give up. But you shouldn't fail because of me."  
"Not going to leave you all alone." Marie smiles at Edd. "Were going to finish together."  
"Then you'll be last place chumps Marie." Lee yells as May and her run past Edd and Marie.  
"Bite me Lee!" Marie yells back.  
Edd watches Lee run. "Do you and your sisters fight like that all the time?"  
Marie shakes her head. "Not really. We fight and argue a lot, but we always have each other's backs in the end." The Kanker sisters for years have always only had each other, so they grew to depend on each other for everything from playing as kids to backing each other's lies to keep out of serious trouble. Much like how Ed, Edd, and Eddy were when the other kids that live in the Cul-de-sac socially rejected them, something that has since been abolished by the others and forgiven by the Ed's.

* * *

In the end, Edd and Marie didn't get their two mile run finished in the expected time, but the grade for the class is mostly a participation grade, so they'll be fine when it comes to whether they passed or not at the end of the year.  
"Well at least you finished Sock Head." Eddy slaps Edd on the back as the boys head into the locker room to change.  
Edd stumbles from Eddy's slap on his back. "I am starting to believe that the Physical Education teacher thinks that pushing us to the edge is the only way for us to show improvements."  
"Hey, no pain no gain." Kevin states as he opens the small square locker he kept his change of clothes in.

As the boys work on changing out for their gym clothing, a thought came to Kevin. For the majority of the time the Peach Creek High students have been at St. Mary Abbots the larger teen Scott would make it a point to hurrahs one of them on an almost daily basis. "Hey guys, whatever happened to that dude Scott? Like I haven't seen him around for weeks."  
Edd looked away from his friends, he knew what happened, but he didn't wish to say. After the events of the school dance and the "fight" that accrued, Edd had to give a statement to Headmaster Moon about what happened. He kept with Marie's somewhat a lie about Scott trying to take Marie away from Edd to go drink beers in the parking lot and Edd punching Scott to keep Marie safe. This lead to Edd having a full week of proper detention, having to bring a letter home to his parents, which got him grounded for that week, and promising to never fight again.  
"I heard he got laid out at the dance for messing with some guy." Eddy looks over at Edd who is trying to hide his face. Eddy suspected that Edd had something to do with what happened to Scott, seeing as Marie came to the dance with Scott and left with Edd, but Eddy had no proof. "And then he got busted for having beer on school grounds and they gave him the boot."  
Kevin shrugs his shoulders, he never cared for Scott so he didn't really care about what happened to him that much. "Huh, well that guy was a grade A jerk, serves him right."

* * *

The next day was an exact opposite day for Edd and the others. It was the last day of testing, there is only one testing period for the day, Fine Arts for the Ed's and the other teens that took the class, and the day was a half day for all students that didn't need to make up a test they missed.  
But this was a day that was a really great day for Eddy. As the boys were mingling around their locker getting ready to leave Victoria walked up to Eddy.  
"Hey Eddy, you doing anything today?" Victoria asks surveying Ed and Edd. Eddy has told her a good amount about his two best friends, but she is sure that he left out some of the more unpleasant parts.  
Eddy is shocked to see Victoria, they've seen each other in passing at school and talked a very few times, but she has never sought him out like this. "Not really, why?"  
"I was wondering if you'd like to, you know, get something to eat? Just the two of us?"  
Eddy's eyes grow wide. "Are you asking-"  
Edd cuts Eddy off. "Eddy would be happy to get lunch with you Victoria." Edd didn't want his friend to potentially mess up this chance of having lunch with Victoria, so he gave her his answer for him. "I'll take your school things over to your house for you Eddy. Now run along and enjoy your afternoon." Edd gives Eddy a push in Victoria's direction.  
Victoria smiles, she was really hoping that they could get something to eat. With all of the extra things she does after school, it had left her with almost no time to socialize with Eddy. "Cool, I need to hit my locker and then we can go."  
"Cool." Eddy says before turning to Ed and Edd. "See ya guys later."  
As Eddy walks away with Victoria Edd felt proud for him. "Look at him Ed, our little Eddy going off on his first date."  
"Girls are fun, aren't they Double Dee." Ed's statement should have come off as odd for Edd, but his happiness for Eddy let Ed's words slip by without full thought.  
"Yes they are Ed."

* * *

Eddy kept his mind focused, not wanting to say anything stupid to Victoria as they walked out of the school building.  
"So, where did you want to go? There is that pizza place that we can walk to." He asks.  
"Walk? Why walk?" Victoria reaches into her backpack and pulls out a set of keys and pushes a button on a black plastic fob on the key ring. A red car a few feet away beeps and its lights flash.  
"You have a car?" Eddy asks, he had not asked how old Victoria is so her having a car was not something he saw coming.  
Victoria sometimes forgets that Eddy isn't a normal student of the private school, a lot of the teens that are not from Peach Creek High have cars. "I'm sixteen and my parents are very well off, so of course I have a car."  
Victoria and Eddy open the doors of the car. "Right, I forgot that everyone at this school is rich." Eddy says getting into the car.  
"I wouldn't say we're all rich, yeah some of the families are, but most of us just have parents that want the very best for their kids." Victoria tosses her backpack behind her into the back seat. "You shouldn't judge us all as equals for the actions of a few."  
"Wow, that's kind of deep."  
Victoria inserts her key into the ignition. "I like to think that I am rather grownup for my age." She says as she starts her car.  
As the engine turns over and power flows through the car fast paced rock music with vocals that Eddy didn't understand comes out of the speakers.  
"Woops." Victoria turns the volume down on her radio. "I forgot I had that that loud, sorry."  
Eddy had never heard music like that before, the vocals sounded like female voices, but the language was unfamiliar to him. "What was that?"  
Victoria pulls her seatbelt on. "You've never heard of J Pop?"  
"J Pop?" Eddy is very confused.  
"In short, it's rock music from Japan, but with a twist of Japanese pop in it."  
Eddy cracks a smile. "How are you grownup for your age again?" He immediately regretted the joke, he didn't want to give Victoria any reason to not like him.  
"Hey now." Victoria also smiles. "My choice is music has nothing to do with my level of maturity."  
Eddy felt a little bit more comfortable with Victoria, that maybe he can joke around with her a little. So with words carefully chosen he makes another. "So you don't have a large collection of stuffed animals then?"  
Victoria is starting to like Eddy a bit more, the last guy she was with didn't have much of a sense of humor. "I'll have you know that my vintage Beanie Babies could put someone through college."  
"So you either have a few really rare ones, or just a lot of them."  
"Mmm, a little from column A and a little from column B."

Even though they had a car for transportation and could have gone anywhere in the city, Victoria and Eddy ended up going to the pizza place Eddy suggested.  
"You know, I've been past this place so many times but have never thought to eat here." Victoria says as Eddy holds the door open for her, Edd will be so proud of Eddy when the recap of the date is told to him.  
Eddy follows Victoria in. "Why not? This place is great, cheap prices and good food."  
Victoria looks around, it has been a very long time since she was in a pizzeria that she's forgotten what they were like. Several tables of varying sizes for different groups of people dotted the seating area, a handful of old arcade machines are off in the far corner, and a small metal covered counter with a register by the entrance. It was all nice to look at, but it was the smell that got her. The whole restaurant is filled with the smell for fresh baked pizza. "Well you see." She says as the two of them walk over to the counter. "I kind of was with this guy for a while and he didn't take too kindly to places like this. He said they were below us."  
"Wow…" Eddy immediately felt inadequate in comparison to Victoria and her ex boyfriend.  
"But, that's why I eventually got rid of him. Well that and a few other choice reason that I will not bore you with."

For the majority of the lunch date Eddy just listened to Victoria talk, he found the sound of her voice just as appealing as her physical features. She talked about her debate club and going out of town for the big end of the year final debate with the neighboring city of Lemon Brook, volunteering at the seniors' home on the weekends, and of her family's' vacation plans to go to Washington D.C.  
"My father says that we are going to go on a tour of the capital building, I can't wait for that." Victoria says as she goes into details of her family's plans for the trip.  
"You certainly have a lot on your plate for a teenager." Eddy is becoming amazed by Victoria, she can talk about something so serious and then jump to talking like a teen girl in a second flat.  
"Well I have big goals in life, so having a lot to do is expected."  
"What goals?"  
Victoria smiles. "I want to become president."  
Eddy laughs, thinking this is a joke. "Hah, good one. But seriously why all the work?"  
Victoria's facial expression changes from the smiling enjoying the day face, to the dead serious this is what she wants face. "I am serious, I want to become President of the United States when I grow up."  
"Wow…" Eddy's inadequacy comes back, he doesn't even know what he's going to do for the summer let alone what he wants to be when he grows up. "That is a big goal."  
Victoria takes a drink from her diet soda. "It is a big one, but one I intend to achieve. All this extra after school stuff is to build a good entry application to Harvard Law after I finish four years at Ohio State."  
Eddy looks out the window they are sitting next to. "Sounds like you have your whole life planned out already." He starts to think that Victoria and him are just too different to have anything real between them.  
"I wouldn't say I have it all planned out, just the path I want to take. You have to have room for the odd stops along the way. Like pizza with a nice guy." Victoria smiles at Eddy.  
Eddy looks back at Victoria and smiles back himself. "Thanks, but… I'm not really that nice of a guy."  
"Oh I know." Victoria says casually.  
Eddy's eyes grow wide. "You know?"  
"I know that you're a bit of a perv and that you can be very rude."  
Eddy starts to worry that this is a set up and he is about to be jumped. "Then why are we here?"  
"Because." Victoria takes a drink from her glass. "You are trying to be better. I got the lowdown on your from my friends at the Spring Formal. They told me about how you asked every one of them to dance in a rather stupid way, ogle a lot of the girls in school, and are all-around very full of yourself."  
Hearing someone else tell him about how he had been acting only made it sink in more, but he still didn't understand why Victoria was sitting across from him. "If you knew all of that, why keep talking to me? Why ask me to get lunch with you?"  
"Because you earned it. When we first met you were nice and mostly polite to me. And to be honest I was ready to give up on guys for a while and was only dancing with you out of spite, but you showed me that there is some nice guys still out there."  
"Sounds like this guy you were with was a jerk."  
"Oh John was and more. But he wasn't always like that which only made the break up that much harder." Eddy can see the look of disgust on her face, her ex clearly put her through a lot.  
"I'm sorry he did that to you. You seem like a really nice chick and you deserve better." Eddy did his best to comfort Victoria, but he's never done something like this before so he isn't sure if it helped.  
Victoria looks at her phone to check the time. "Thanks, but John is the one going to be sorry when he tries to pull what he tried with me on your friend's girlfriend's sister."  
"Wait, the redhead one?" Eddy's eyes grow wide.  
"Yeah, Lee I think her name is. My girls are not too sure on her though." the weight that had just been put on Eddy's chest was just lifted, if she didn't know that much about Lee, then Victoria might not know of Eddy and hers past.  
Eddy is curious though as to how Victoria seems to know so much, and who these "girls" are. "Do you like have a network of spies in the school or something?"  
"Not me, my little sister does. She and her friends act like the CIA and tell me things. I let them have their fun because she is my sister and why would I want her to not be happy?"  
"Ok…" Eddy found the concept of Victoria's little sister managing a posy of spies to be very odd and chooses to not look into it more. "If you don't mind me asking, what did he do to you?"  
Victoria figured that if she was going to peruse something with Eddy that she should be open about a few facets of her life. "To be upfront with you, I'm saving myself for marriage. I get that it's not for everyone and that I am part of a growing minority, but it's what I chose. John however didn't see it as my choice and he kept trying to get me to do stuff with him. I just got so sick of him trying to get me to do stuff that I couldn't take it anymore." Victoria's fists ended up balled in anger, she hated that someone that was once so close to her didn't respect her choices.  
"Wow, he is an ass. It's your choice what you want to do."  
Eddy's quick agreement with her made Victoria like him a little bit more, but she still is a little untrusting of guys so she's already planning on talking things with him very slow, she isn't even wanting to call him a boyfriend yet. "Thanks Eddy, it means a lot to hear you say that. But look I hate to, but I got to run. I need to pick up my sister at her dance class in like ten minutes."  
Eddy feels sad that their date is over. "Oh, ok…"  
Victoria stands up from her chair. "Sorry, I did have a lot of fun with you."  
Eddy follows her in standing. "I had fun with you too. Think we could do this again sometime?"  
"I don't know what the summer will be like, but I won't say an official no, just a soft maybe."  
It was a small chance, but it was still a chance of seeing this girl again and that was all Eddy needed. "Cool, well if I don't see you until after, have fun on your trip."  
Victoria moves around the table. "Thanks." She gives Eddy a quick kiss on the cheek. "Bye Eddy." she says before she walks quickly out of the restaurant and to her car.  
Eddy touches his cheek where Victoria kissed him. 'She… is worth the work.' He thinks as he walks to the register.

* * *

That night, after telling Edd about how the date went, Eddy is lying in his bed. He has gone over the events of the day in his head several times. "We sure are lucky." He says to himself.  
His mind then goes to thinking about how Victoria's ex kept wanting her to do things with him even though she didn't want to, and he thinks about what might happen to Lee.  
Eddy knows that Lee is not one to let anyone take advantage of her, but he still feels the need to do the right thing and tell her about what he knows about her new male interest.  
"This is your fault Double Dee." He says accepting what he's going to do. "You and you're damn always being nice to everyone getting to me."

* * *

The next day at school, after Ed disappeared on him, Eddy goes looking for Lee. It was a task he never thought he would ever do, but he was and he found her leaning against the wall by her homeroom door flicking small balls of paper at passing students.  
"Hey, Lee." Eddy says getting her attention.  
Lee looks over at Eddy, but then quickly looks away. "What do you want shrimp? Come to see if I can give you some loving."  
"No." he says quickly. "Look, I hear you're running with this John guy."  
"So? You jealous?"  
"Not even, look I came to warn you. He's a jackass and he's going to try and take advantage of you."  
"You would know all about jackasses wouldn't you?"  
"I do, and he is going to try and screw with you Lee. Just watch out for him, no one deserves to be treated like how he treats people." Eddy doesn't wait for her to respond back, he just turns and walks away from his former bully.

* * *

Lee found Eddy's warning very odd, he's never said a kind word to her in the years that they have know each other, and to get a warning about her man was just that much stranger. 'He's probably jealous that he ain't getting anything from me anymore.' She thinks as her and May walk home from school, Marie is with Edd doing what Lee doesn't know.  
The sisters didn't talk as they walk the path to the Park n' Flush, Lee not having anything to say to her and May is lost in her thoughts.  
"Things sure have changed a lot."  
May speaking snapped Lee out of the daydream she was in. "What are you talking about May?" Lee asks looking down at her littlest sister.  
May looks over to her sister. "Things are changing a lot. Marie and Double Dee, you and John, this new school. So much stuff is different now." May intentionally left out one very big change that has happened, but it's her secret and she didn't want Lee to know.  
"I guess stuff is different now. Marie seem to be enjoying Double Dee, he best not mess with her thought." As Lee was making a threat against her sister's boyfriend, one she didn't think she would ever have to follow through with, a black car pulls up next to him.  
"Hey Lee." A teen boy with short blond hair says through the down window of the car.  
Lee and May look over. "Oh, hey John." Lee says back.  
"I got some free time, if you want to go do some stuff?"  
Lee looks over to May and then back to John. "I guess I could, May you going to be ok getting home?"  
May felt almost embarrassed by Lee. "Jesus Lee, I'm not a little kid. I can walk home on my own."  
"Good." Lee tosses her backpack to her sister. "I'll be home later then." Lee gets into the car and John quickly drives off.  
May starts walking home again. "I wonder what Ed is doing…"

* * *

Marie had opted to walk home with Edd, after he spent an hour helping Mrs. Parker in the library. "You enjoyed your punishment didn't you?" Marie asks as Edd and her exit the school building.  
Edd takes Marie's hand with his own. "I did. She is a really nice lady and the library in this school is quite amazing."  
"I'm not going to have to fight her for you am I? Cause I will totally knock an old lady to the ground to assert my dominance over you."  
Edd knew that Marie wasn't serious about hurting Mrs. Parker. "I can assure you Marie." He kisses her on the cheek. "I only have eyes for you."  
Edd waked Marie all the way home to the Park n' Flush and found only May home. "Lee went off with the guy of hers." She told them when asked where Lee was.  
"No Lee huh? You wanna hangout for a bit then Edd?" Marie asks as May heads up the stairs to the second floor of the trailer.  
"I would very much like to Marie."

Marie and Edd sat on the lumpy old couch in the living room as they finally did something Edd has wanted to do for days, look at the drawings Marie's has done in her black sketchbook.  
When Edd first entered the sitting room of the Kanker family home he quickly took it all in. There is the old couch they are sitting on, cut and dirty, that is the centerpiece of the room. In front of it is an old coffee table that is as beaten up as the kitchen table. Across from them is a very old television with a pair of bent receiving antennas sat on a stand. And against the wall furthest away from the entrance into the living room sat a bookshelf with a ship in a bottle on the very top shelf. But despite all of this, how the home looks, the only thing that mattered to Edd was the people inside of it.  
May maybe the youngest of the three sisters, but she is always watching Marie and Lee. She learns from them and does her best to follow in their wake, but she is starting to grow into her own ways as she grows.  
Lee is far more protective of her sisters than Edd had originally thought. She is always putting Marie and May ahead of herself and doesn't stand for any foul talk of them.  
And Marie was ever the enigma that Edd has come to admire. She is nothing like she seemed to have been prior to the start of their relationship, always smiling and laughing, giggling if she did something that made Edd blush. Edd seems to learn more and more about the Marie that she hid away from the world with each day, though he suspected that there are things she is keeping from him to keep the mystery going.  
At first Marie was very shy about showing Edd the contents of her sketchbook, but as they went along every one of Edd's complements made her more and more conferrable.  
"You certainty have tried your hand at a vast variety of different subjects." Edd says as Marie turns away from the page of a robot dancing with another robot to a drawing of a spider on its web with a skull on its back.  
Marie smiles, Edd has had something positive to say about every drawing she has shown him. "I like to try all kinds of things, but mostly what I think is cool."  
"Well they are cool Marie."  
Marie was so caught up in showing off her art that she hadn't realized what part of the book they were getting to. Marie turned the page and came to the missing page.  
"Marie." Edd asks finding it odd that there is a missing page. "What happened to his one?" he asks touching the ripped edge of the missing page.  
Marie doesn't know what to say. "Well… it was something that I drew."  
"I get that, but why did you remove it?"  
Marie closes the sketchbook, she never thought she would have to tell Edd about the drawing of them getting married she had done over a year ago. "Well you see Edd, I had this dream a long time ago. About us… and I really like the dream and I wanted to remember it, so I drew it. But… then last fall happened…" Marie's voice trailed off, it hurt talking about this.  
Without a word Edd takes Marie into a hug, he understands that this drawing meant a lot to Marie at one time and the events of the fall led to her getting rid of it. "I'm sorry Marie. I'm sure that that drawing meant a lot to you, and I took it away."  
Marie hugs him back, she doesn't think it was his fault the drawing is gone, well not anymore. "Don't say that Edd, you didn't take away. I was just being stupid."  
Edd pulls back from Marie. "You are not stupid Marie, you are just very a passionate person, something I admire a lot about you." Edd meant every word, yes Marie isn't as book smart as he is, but she is far more inelegant when it comes to several aspects of the real world. He's also learned that her passion for what is important to her; her sisters and mother, her drawing, and him are what drives her.  
At the mention of her and her passions Marie's bad side awakens. "You know nothing about how, passionate, I can be Edd." She tosses her sketchbook onto the coffee table before pushing Edd into his back on the couch.  
Marie holds Edd down by his shoulders and leans down to him, but stays a few inches away. "But." She nips at his nose. "I might be persuaded to show you." She whispers to him before giving him a kiss. Marie intended to teas Edd with the kiss, but she he started kissing her back she forgot all about that.

* * *

"Oi! May!" The front door of the trailer swings open and Lee walks in carrying a plastic bag. "Where are ya?"  
"Done with your man Lee?" Marie walks out of the living room, her shirt a mess.  
Lee cocks an eyebrow. "Looks like you're not." Lee guessed that Edd came home with Marie, and is proven correct when Edd walked out of the living room himself. "Sup Double Dee, you have better kept it in your paints in there."  
Lee's words makes both Edd and Marie's face turn red. "We weren't doing anything like that Lee!" Marie yells.  
"What are you two yelling about?" May asks as she comes down the stairs.  
Lee holds the bag she has in her hand up. "I got us some chicken for dinner."  
Marie and May look to each other, they know that their sister didn't have any money to spend on fast food. "How did you get that?"Marie asks looking back at her older sister.  
"What does it matter? You guys hungry or what?" Lee walks into the kitchen.  
May and Marie shrug to each other and they, along with Edd, follow Lee into the kitchen.  
Lee is emptying the contents of the bag onto the kitchen table. "You can join us Double Dee." She says pointing at Edd. "BUT, you have to swear that you will never try and take advantage of my sister."  
Edd found the stipulation odd, but sees no reason to not agree to do something he never wants to do already. "I can assure you Lee, I will never take advantage, or put Marie in any sort of situation that could be considered such."

* * *

Marie and May found it odd as well that Lee made Edd agree to the terms of never taking advantage of Marie, and when the sisters are getting ready for bed they find out why Lee made Edd agree.  
"So why did you make Edd do that Lee?" Marie asks as she pulls a night shirt on.  
Lee looks at her sisters. She knows that Marie and May are not perfect and very flawed, just like she is, but they are her sisters, her family, her best and only friends. "I needed to make sure he's on the up and up."  
May looks at her eldest sister. "Something happen with John Lee?"  
Lee lets out a quiet chuckle, once again May saw what others didn't. "Yeah…" Lee sits down on the bed. "Turns out he is a jackass."  
Marie sits down next to Lee. "What happened?"  
"Well." Lee takes a deep breath, she was starting to like this guy and what happened cut her deeper than it should have. "He picked me up as we were walking home and I thought he just wanted to go for a drive. But he took me out to this empty park a few miles away from the school."  
Marie's eyes grow wide with anger. "What did he do?" She asks getting angry.  
Lee pulls her legs up to her chest, she feels vulnerable talking about this, but the sisters always share with each other. "He tried to put the moves on me, wanted me to do some really nasty stuff."  
"You… you didn't… did you?" May asks sitting on the other side of Lee.  
Lee shakes her head. "No way. But he said some things that… that hurt."  
Marie felt her eye twitch. "What did he say?" Marie is already making plans on how to hurt this guy for messing with her sister.  
"He…" Lee looks at her sisters. "He said that girls from the trailer park always put out."  
Marie jumps off the bed. "I'm going to kill him."  
"Don't even think about it. The last thing I need is you getting in trouble." Lee pulls Marie back down onto the bed. It does Lee good knowing that her sister was so quick to jump to her defense.  
May places her hand on Lee's shoulder. "He's wrong about us. You know it and we know it. And that is all that matters, right Marie?" May looks over at her sister, Marie is quite mad at John.  
Marie look over at May and calms down a little. "Yeah, who cares what some pig thinks?"  
Hearing Marie and May say this made Lee feel better, and so did talking about it, but she wasn't going to tell them what happened that lead to her getting the means to get the food.

* * *

"What do you know about me and my sisters?" Lee asked getting very pissed off at John.  
John didn't know how protective of her sisters Lee is, but he is about too. "Come on, I bet that sister of yours did all kinds of stuff for Scott."  
Rage filled Lee and she grabbed John's hand. "You never."  
 ***Crack*  
** She bent his finger back until it broke. "Talk about my family like that."  
"What the fuck! You broke my finger you bitch!"  
"I did, and now I'm going to deck you." Lee swings her fist at his head with more force than she should have and knocked John out.  
"Ow." Lee shakes her hand, that was more than she wanted to do to him, but she wasn't going to stop making him pay.  
She reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out his wallet and takes the bills out of it. "Loaded, as I thought you'd be." She says counting the money.  
Lee then looks over at his car parked just a few feet away. "Hummm…"

A few minutes later Lee is walking away from the car spinning her keys around her finger. Lee thinks that she might have gone too far with the punch, but the message she carved into the paint on his car is sure to raze some questions. "Now everyone will know that you are a pervert." She says looking back at the word pervert keyed into the car.

* * *

As she walked the distance home Lee thought. She thought about her sisters and how they are growing more into their own selves rather than just a Kanker. About how boys seem to be getting worse and that maybe they are not worth it for her. About her mother and all the work she does for the three sisters.  
And as she walked out of the fried chicken fast food restaurant a thought hit her. "Holy shit, Eddy did a nice thing and tried to warn me about John. The little shit really is growing up with this private school chick talking to him. Maybe the Ed's aren't a bunch of saps. But I still better make sure Double Dee doesn't try any of this shit on Marie."  
As she said this to herself. Lee knew she didn't have to worry about Edd, he made the effort to get Marie back to liking him, and if he put in that much effort to get her, she knew that he was going to keep on trying.

* * *

The next morning the sisters were woken up by a pounding on the trailer door. Confused Lee, Marie, and May made their way down stairs to the door and Lee opened it. Standing outside was a police officer, John, and who they assumed is John's mother.  
"Are you Lee Kanker?" the officer asked.  
Lee knew that lying about who she is to a police officer is never a good idea. "I am."  
The officer points at John behind him. "This young man claims that you not only broke his finger, and robbed him, but you also vandalized his car?"  
Lee leans to the side to get a clear look at John. He has his finger in a splint and a look of anger on his face. "Why would he say that?" She asks prepping for a lie. "I haven't even seen him since I broke up with him days ago."  
The police officer crosses his arms. "So you were not with him yesterday after school?"  
Lee shakes her head. "Nope, I was here all day doing schoolwork with my sisters and her boyfriend." Lee points at Marie. "Except for when I went and got us some food for dinner."  
"She's lying!"John yelled. "That trailer park trash stole my money and broke my finger."  
Lee kept her anger under control. "See girls, it's that kind of talk is why I dumped him."  
"I can see why." Marie adds, she is taking mental notes so she can tell Edd everything in case he has to confirm their story. "Look if you need him too, I can call my boyfriend and have him come over. He can tell you the same thing my sister said; the four of us were here doing stuff for school, we've had finals and he was tutoring us."  
"They are lying! They are all a bunch of white trash liars!"  
"Jonathan! Enough of that language." John's mother smacks him in the arm.  
"Officer, I really don't appreciate him saying things like that about my sisters at our home. And unless there is anything else, we'd like to go back to sleep." Lee is extremely thankful that Marie and May ran with the lie and that she didn't do anything more to John.  
"She wrote pervert on my car. My new car!"  
"I would worry as to why someone would think that of him." This time it was May that spoke.  
Lee is relishing in the fact that John is getting mad at this situation. "It seems to me officer, that he is upset over our break up and chose to use me as a patsy."  
With only hearsay to go off of the officer had to believe the three sisters over the one boy. "Ok, girls, I think we are done here. Thank you for your cooperation and I am sorry for waking you up."  
Lee smiles at the officer. "Not problem officer, I hope you can catch the guy that did this." And with that Lee closes the door and the sisters walk away from it.  
"Marie." Lee says looking to her sister.  
Words were not needed to be exchanged anymore, Marie knew what she had to do. "On it." She says going for the cordless phone on the small table by the stairs. Marie picks up the phone and start to call Edd, she needed to tell him what went down and to get his story straight incase the police come asking him questions. 'Kankers always have each other's backs.' She thinks as the phone starts to ring.

* * *

The following Monday, the last one of the school year, Lee is walking down the hallway of the school alone. May went off to the restroom when the sisters got to school and Marie was with Edd, who was understanding and willing to go with the lie the sisters concocted.  
Normally Lee would hang out by the sisters homeroom to wait for the school day to start, but today she needed to take care of something prior to tormenting others.

It took her a few minutes of looking, but she found what she was looking for. She found Eddy sitting on the floor with his phone in hand typing on the screen with a smile on his face.  
Lee kicks his foot. "Hey shrimp." She says getting his attention.  
"What!" Eddy didn't know who it was that kicked him, he was too focused on his texting conversation with Victoria. After their lunch date he has become more confident with her and has been joking around with her more. But when he realizes it is Lee that kicked him, he quickly locked his phone screen so she couldn't see it, he still doesn't want her to know about Victoria.  
"What do you want?" He asks as Lee leans against the wall next to him.  
Lee crosses her arms and looks down the hallway away from Eddy. "Thanks."  
Eddy is confused. "For what?"  
"For the warning, turns out you were right."  
Eddy gets up off the floor. "Told ya."  
"Well can you blame me for not believing you? Not many people would look out for me like that." Lee felt odd talking to Eddy, she's never felt the need or want to talk with him in the past. It was all about striking fear in him for the longest time. "Why did you even tell me about John anyway?"  
"It was the right thing to do." Eddy still thinks Lee is a horrible person for all that she has done to him and his best friends, but he knows that no one should go through something like that. "You're my bro's ladies sister, it wouldn't be right not to."  
"I thought you hated that brother of yours?" Lee asks as Eddy picks up his backpack.  
Eddy looks at Lee. "Double Dee and Ed ARE my real brothers, not that dick wad that treated me like shit." Eddy turns to walk away from Lee.

Eddy found it very odd that Lee sought him out to thank him for the warning. 'Man, everything is changing.' He thinks as his phone vibrates in his pocket, it's a text from Victoria and he quickly sends a response back.

* * *

The bell rings signaling the end of the last day of school for the year, and the residents of the cul-de-sac are all happy for the end of the year. The past few months in the new school was an uphill battle for them.  
"So you guys have any summer plans?" Nazz asks as the Ed's, Kevin, Rolf, and her gather around at the front door of the school.  
"I will be tending to my flock of chickens." Rolf says as he happily takes off his tie.  
"I'm going to do a whole lot of nothing." Eddy says as he follows Rolf.  
"I personally am not sure, I think Fath-" Edd is cut off by someone grabbing him and pulling him to her. Marie kisses Edd making him stumble away from his friends.  
Eddy rolls his eyes. "So we know what Sock Head is going to be doing." He says as Edd starts kissing Marie back.  
"Yo Double Dee." Kevin yells at his friend. "Get a room." He gets a few laughs out of the other teens and laughs at his own joke.  
Marie breaks the kiss with Edd and looks past him. "I think we will. Come on Edd let's go find a cabin up in the woods to be all alone in." Marie takes Edd's hand and starts to lead Edd away from his friends.  
The other teens are not sure if Marie is joking or not. "You think they would actually run off for the summer?" Nazz asks as the teens start their walk home.  
Eddy shakes his head. "I doubt it. But I'll still give him a call tomorrow to make sure they haven't gone off to the woods."

* * *

Marie actually just lead Edd off to the path her sisters take home from school and found May and Lee waiting for Marie.  
"I should have know." Lee says spotting Edd as the teens start walking the path home.  
Edd smiles, with all the time he has spent with the Kanker sisters that fear of them that once controlled him away from them is gone. The sisters are his friends, albeit they are not like Nazz, Kevin, or Rolf, and nowhere near Ed and Eddy's level of friendship. "Hello ladies, I hope you had an enjoyable last day of school for the year."  
"No more having to wear these stupid uniforms, hell yeah it was a good day." Lee pulls her tie off and balls it up.  
Marie didn't feel the same as Lee. "I dunno, I kinda like the uniforms."  
"I personally enjoyed them." From day one Edd has thoroughly enjoyed the uniforms, they made him feel very sharp and professional. They also made Marie look very attractive, something he has yet to share with her because he knows she would use the information to tease and flirt with him.  
"I bet you just like how I look in it." Marie says wiggling her eyebrows at Edd.  
Edd's face turns red, she saw through him and he worries if she is going to do something inappropriate in front of her sisters. "Um… maybe a little."  
Marie laughs, she has had a feeling that Edd enjoys her physical features that the uniform shows off. "You bad boy Edd." She whispers to him making his face redder.  
Edd shakes his head and clears this throat. "I just remembered Marie." Edd wanted to change the topic on hand, to keep Marie from saying anything more that is true and also a little embarrassing to be said in front of her sisters. "Mother wanted me to invite you over for dinner this evening."  
Marie smiles "Ooo, I'd love too." She enjoys spending time at Edd's house, his parents may be a bit strange, but she gets why they act the way they do with Edd. They only have the one child and want the very best for him.  
"Later gals." Marie says to her sisters as Edd and her take a turn down a different street than the one the sisters were on.  
"Have a good evening ladies, I shall have Marie home at a decent time."

May and Lee didn't stand around and watch Marie and Edd walk off, they wanted to get home and start their summer vacation.  
"This is going to be a fun summer." May says as Lee and her enter the trailer.  
Lee pulls her sweater vest off over her head, she wants to get into the shower right away. "What are ya talking about?"  
May was quickly making her way up the stairs. "Just us spending time with our men." May jumped the last few steps and was in the sisters bedroom before Lee could think of questioning her.  
'What are you up to May?' Lee thinks as she heads into the bathroom.


	7. Summer of Fun

Edd awoke to the sound of his alarm. It is the first day of summer vacation, and even though he doesn't have an agenda for the day, he's probably going to do some reading and tend to his ant farm, he still gets up at an early hour.  
He sits up and scratches his head as he blinks the sleep out of his eyes. "I wonder if I should wear my hat during the summer?" He asks himself as his fingers run through his hair. His longer hair did the job it was needed for perfectly during the weeks of school that he didn't wear his black ski hat. No one saw his scar and no one asked about it, all of his friends just assumed that he was going for a different look.  
"Best not to get back into that habit." He says moving to the side of his bed.

After showering and getting dressed in his non school clothing Edd is sitting in the kitchen eating his breakfast. There is a knock at the door followed quickly by his mother saying; "I got it."  
Less than a minute later his mother speaks again. "Eddward, there is someone here to see you."  
Edd thought it was Ed or Eddy at first, it is expected of them to show up at his home during the summer to spend the day together. But when Edd gets to the door someone he is much happier to see is standing there waiting for him.  
"Morning Sweetie." Marie says smiling wide.  
Edd smiles back, he is happy to see the black hair girl, dressed in the same clothing he saw her in at the bookstore, minus the hoodie. "Good morning Marie." He says as his mother walks away. "This is a pleasant surprise."  
Without her boyfriend's mother within earshot Marie didn't have to play as nice. "I'm always a pleasant surprise."  
Edd lets out a quick laugh, he should have seen a comment like that coming from Marie. "I cannot deny that fact, but to what do I owe this visit?"  
"I figured you'd like some company of the fairer and more enjoyable sex on this fine Saturday afternoon." Marie was doing her best to sound as sophisticated as Edd dose sometimes. "It is an entertainingly enjoyable day to not look for companionship."  
"How long did you work on that line?" Edd asks standing to the side to let Marie into the house.  
"All morning." Marie giggles. "I hope I sounded sophisticated."  
Edd closes the front door. "You did. I was still eating breakfast so I hope you don't mind if I finish that."  
Marie shakes her head as she follows Edd into the kitchen. "Nope, I'll just sit there quietly not blinking as I watch you eat."  
Edd sits down at takes a drink from his glass of orange juice all while having a puzzled look on his face. "I can't tell if that was meant as a joke or not."  
Marie doesn't say a word, she just sits down across from him with wide unblinking eyes. Slowly a slightly creepy smile comes to her face as Edd eats.  
Edd knew that she was playing a game, and he also knew that she would win if he reacted to what she is doing, so he focuses on his bowl of cereal instead of the face his girlfriend is making.  
After a while Marie lets out a sigh and drops the look she had on her face. "You're no fun Edd."  
Edd looks up from his bowl. "Mad because I didn't react to your face?"  
Marie pouts. "Yes." She says crossing her arms, she is only playing being mad at Edd.  
Edd smiles. "I guess I'm just getting wise to you Marie."  
"So what you're saying is I need to step up my game?"  
'Uh oh' Edd thinks, he hadn't thought that Marie would think of increasing her level of mischief when he didn't react to her. "Um… I wouldn't say that, only that I understand you more than I did at the beginning and that I see when you are playing around."  
"Ohh." Marie smiles, she knows what to do now. "So I just have to be more clever about what I do."

After he finished his breakfast Edd informed Marie about needing to take care of is ant farm in his bedroom and asked if she was ok with that.  
"I get to go up into your room? Oh hells to the yes I am ok with that." Was her response.  
And so as Edd sat at his desk tending to the small insects inside the thin glass case Marie sat on his bed looking around. Edd's mother made them leave the bedroom door open while they were in the room together so Marie didn't even bother to try anything mischievous with Edd.  
Besides the twin bed she is sitting on there is the desk Edd is sitting at, a dresser topped with a wide arrange of knickknacks, his closet, a bookshelf pack full, and the nightstand next to his bed. The walls are covered in lime green wallpaper and the carpet is a soft white shag. As Marie is looking around her boyfriend's room she spots a notebook under a few books on the night stand with her name on the cover.  
Curious Marie carefully pulls the notebook out from under the stack of books. 'Marie File?' She thinks looking at the notebook. "What is this all about Edd?" She asks holding the notebook up to Edd.  
Edd looks over at Marie. "Oh…" The color runs from his face. He had meant to dispose of the notebook weeks ago, but with everything that happened it had slipped his mind. "That is nothing Marie, just something I need to get rid of." Edd gets up from his desk and walks over to his bed.  
Marie opens the note book and sees all the notes about her. "In Physical Education we were playing dodge ball and for reasons I am unable to deduce at this time, I found that for a brief moment I found Marie cute. Aww you thought I looked cute in gym." Marie read a line from the notebook, making Edd's cheeks turn red.  
"Please Marie. That is something that I should have never done." Edd reaches for the notebook to take it away from Marie, he is worried that if she reads more about his observations that she might find it horrible and break up with him.  
But when Edd's hand gets in range Marie grabs his wrist, and lighting fast pulls him down onto the bed and moved to sit on him before he could realize what happened. Marie has Edd pinned to the bed with her weight, and used her own legs to keep his in place too. Marie turned to the beginning of the notebook and finds the first page is a list of basic information about her. "You got some of these facts wrong Edd, I'm sixteen not fifteen." Marie finally understood what he said about trying to figure her out and learning about her, he had watched her all those times and kept theses notes about her. "You know, I didn't need to write all this stuff about you down." Marie closes the notebook. "I kept it all up here." She taps the side of her head.  
"You're… you're not mad?" Edd asks not taking his eyes off the notebook, that Marie is intentionally keeping out of his reach.  
"Mad? No. A little concerned? Maybe. But I am not surprised that you were this thorough on trying to help Ed and Eddy." Marie looks at the cover of the notebook. Inside of it is so much stuff about her, but it is all from a darker point in her young life. A point when she was in a constant state of unhappiness and anger, when all she wanted was to be alone and would stew in her own emotions. But she has moved passed that point, with the help of the boy she is sitting on. "You know this has to go right? Like if your folks found this they might take you to a head shrink."  
"I fully intended to destroy that notebook weeks ago Marie. I just forgot due to all that was going on with us. I am really sorry that I ever started that observation file." Edd is looking at Marie now, he wants more than anything for that notebook to be burning and for her to never think about it again.  
Marie opens the notebook to the front page again. "Tell you what. For every page I rip out of this thing, you gotta give me a kiss and tell me I'm the prettiest girl at the pageant."  
Edd didn't understand why Marie would want him to say that she is the prettiest girl a pageant, but if that was all she wanted from him as an apology then he can easily do that. "And you will forget that I ever made that mistake?"  
Marie rips the first page out and crumples it into a ball. "Deal. Now what do you say?" she asks leaning down to him.  
"You are. "He leans up and gives her a quick kiss. "The prettiest girl at the pageant."  
Marie smiles and lets a giggle out before tossing the ball of paper at Edd's trash can. "Again." She rips the second page out.

This goes on for a shorter amount of time that Marie would have liked it too, before she knew it the pages that had writing on them were all ripped out. "I forgive you Edd." She says closing the now blank note book as she moves off of him. "But I'm keeping this notebook."  
"I'm sorry I did that Marie. But if you don't mind me asking, if you are only sixteen, how did you acquire your cigarettes?" It was a question that poked at the back of his mind ever since Marie tossed her pack into that pool.  
Marie moves to rest her back against the wall the bed is next to. "Easy, fake ID and a gas station clerk that doesn't care enough."  
"I see." Edd didn't want a conversation about smoking to start, nor did he want talk of the note book to come back either, so with a quick glance at his desk he gets an idea. "Marie, would you be interested in watching a movie?"  
Marie's eyes light up. "Sure what movie?" She asks as Edd gets up from the bed.  
Edd walks over to his desk and picks up his closed laptop before walking over to his bookshelf. "Well how does War Game sound? It is my personal favorite movie and I would very much like to share it with you."  
Marie has never heard of this movie before, but the title sounded very exciting. "Does it have explosions and a lot of action scenes?" She asks as Edd sits down next to her.  
Edd opens his laptop and pushes the power button. "Not really, but it does have the threat of total nuclear destruction of our planet in it."  
"I'm sold." Marie says already liking the movie as Edd's computer powers on.

Marie and Edd first were sitting next to each other on the bed watching the movie, to Marie using Edd's leg as a pillow, to both of them laying on the bed, Edd laying on his back holding Marie with one arm over her as she used his chest as a pillow, watching the movie, to falling asleep together before the movie even finished.

Hours later Edd wakes up and looks down to see Marie still asleep on his chest. Edd has never been one to actively touch others unless needed, but with Marie he finds that he enjoys her touch and touching her back. Having Marie in his arms is the most right feeling he has ever had.  
'Eddward, we need to remember this moment of our life, it is a moment we can never forget. We need to do everything we can to keep Marie, she is really amazing and will most certainly make life better.' He thinks as he pulls her closer with his arm. 

* * *

The summer seemed to just fly by for Edd and the days started to haze together. Not every day Marie was with Edd, but she spent as much time as she could with her boyfriend. During the summer the Kanker sisters would take turns going to work with their mother and the diner.  
She didn't share it with Edd, but giving up smoking was really hard for Marie. It had gotten to the point that every morning she would have a smoke on her walk to school, and that was the hardest thing she had to work through. And being in a diner where people would smoke made the urge for a cigarette sky rocket.  
"Marie, are you ok?" Marie's mother, who looks like an older and curvier version of Lee, asks her daughter when she sees her digging her nails into the palm of her hand.  
Marie shakes her head. "I'm ok Mom, just feeling a bit stressed."  
Marie's mother knew her daughter had started smoking, but Marie seemed to have quit before her mother could scold her for it. "If you need to go sit in the back and take a breather, you can." Marie's mother knows how hard it can be to kick that habit.  
"Thanks Mom, but I'll be ok." Marie wanted a cigarette really bad, but she fought against the desire to steal one for Edd, because his love is more important than smoking. 

* * *

On a day when Marie wasn't working at the diner with her mother and was with Edd, she was invited to go with Edd and his mother to the mall for clothing shopping. She found it odd that Edd's mother asked her if she wanted to go with, but she wanted to be with Edd and she thought that there could be a chance or two to flirtingly pick on Edd, so she took the offer.  
Edd and her rode in the back seat of his mother's green car and Marie quickly took advantage of the situation and started to tease Edd. She did it all quietly so his mother wouldn't hear, but Marie would give him a quick tickle, or wink and blow kisses at him, she even tried to playfully bite his neck, but he was too far away to do that successfully. Edd did his best to play back, but he is far more ticklish than she is and he was not one for biting.  
Despite trying to be quiet, Edd's mother heard a few giggles and laughs from the seat behind her. 'Those two sure do enjoy each other's company.' She thinks, pulling into a parking spot at the mall parking garage.  
"Eddward." She says getting the attention of her son. "We have arrived." She turns the car off and opens her door as Edd and Marie open theirs. She walks around the front of her car stowing her keys away into her purse as she waits for Edd and Marie. She didn't have to wait long for the two teens to join her and she couldn't help but smile at the sight of Edd and Marie holding hands. 'My little boy is growing up so fast.'

Edd and Marie follow his mother through the mall and Edd couldn't help but smile as they walk past the entrance to the bookstore. It was there that he started to feel something for Marie, and while that was such a short time ago, it feels almost a whole different lifetime to Edd.  
His mother led them to the far end of the mall into a department store and into the men's section.  
"So what was it that you wished to obtain this afternoon Mother?" Edd asks as he looks around the large selection of clothing.  
Edd's mother picks up a white dress shirt wrapped up in plastic. "I noticed that some of your dress shirts have gotten worn out and that you are going to need more dress pants for school next year, the two we got for you last year were just not enough." Edd's mother looks over her son quickly and then adds; "We should also look into getting you some new shoes as well, those ones you have now have seen enough miles."  
Edd looks down at his shoes, his mother is right, the black tennis shoes he has on are worn down and the fabric is frayed in various places. "They are quite well used." He says agreeing with his mother.  
"We can go look for shoes while you look for clothes Mrs. Vincent." Marie says, offering for her and Edd to go find shoes while his mother picks out clothing.  
Both of Edd's parents are very time efficient people, so the idea of splitting the shopping agenda is one she likes. "Ok, Eddward why don't you and Marie go look for shoes and then come find me and you can try on some of the things I find."  
"Very well Mother, we shall return promptly." Edd says before Marie and him walk away from his mother in the direction of the shoe section of the store.  
"So what kind of shoes do ya wanna get?" Marie asks as the two teen walk away from Edd's mother.  
Edd at first thought to just find similar shoes to the ones he is already wearing, but then he thought of something. "Actually, why don't you find a pair you think I should get and we'll see if they fit me."  
Marie's eyes light up, "Oooo, this is going to be fun."

Once in the section of shoes Marie runs down an aisle and starts looking at shoes. "Hey Edd, what size shoe do you wear?" she asks looking back at him.  
"Size ten." Edd says walking up to her.  
Marie goes back to looking at the shoes and quickly found a pair she likes and pulls the box out of the shelf. "How about these?" she asks holding the shoebox out to Edd.  
Edd takes the box and looks at the shoes. "Are High Tops allowed at school?" he asks looking at the red fabric shoes with white rubber around the sides and toe.  
"They never said anything about mine." Edd looks down at Marie's feet and sees that she has a black pair of similar shoes on.  
Edd looks back up at his girlfriend. "You know, I never looked at your shoes before."  
Marie kicks the back of her right foot with her left. "Well, they are my least enjoyable feature."  
Edd sits down on the small portable bench meant for people to try shoes on. "I think everyone of your features is enjoyable Marie."  
Marie sits down next to Edd and rests her head on his shoulder as he unties one of the new shoes to try it on. She lets out a happy sigh and closes her eyes, every word that Edd says to her makes her happy. "You are so sweet Edd, like I could get diabetes from you level of sweet." She says smiling.  
Edd rests his own head against hers. "So should look into getting you some insulin?"  
Marie laughs, she loves that Edd makes her feel the way she does. Just being around him lately makes her feel a strong warm and fuzzy feeling and her heart beats faster.  
A moment later Edd says; "How do they look?" As he moves to stand up from the stool causing Marie to lift her head up from his shoulder.  
Marie looks down at Edd's feet and sees he put on both of the shoes. "Looks good, how do they feel?" she asks standing up.  
Edd wiggles his toes and then takes a few steps. "They feel good. And I have to agree that they do look good. I like the color and the look."  
"One more step to becoming a bad boy, get some punk style shoes."  
Edd raised his finger to protest Marie's statement, but he didn't have a rebuttal. So he just shrugs his shoulders and says; "Oh well." And smiles.

After Edd put the shoes back into the box, and a few kisses are shared, Edd and Marie walk away from the shoes to find his mother.  
"Did you find a suitable pair Eddward?" His mother asks looking away from the pair of dress pants she has in hand.  
"We did Mother." Edd says holding up the box.  
Edd's mother smiles. "Good. I need you to try these on Eddward." She holds a few pairs of pants out to Eddward.  
"Marie." Edd holds the shoebox out to her. "Would you mind?"  
"Sure." Marie takes the shoebox from Edd and tucks it under her arm.  
As Edd takes the pants from his mother and then walks into the nearby changing rooms Marie realizes that she is going to be alone with Edd's mother for the first time, and with nothing to say. They have talked a few times since Marie and Edd started dating, but it was always conversations with Edd in them. "So… how have ya been Mrs. Vincent?" Marie asks trying to make conversation with Edd's mother.  
Edd's mother also understood that there is almost nothing for the two of them to talk about. But she still wanted to try and form some kind of bond with her son's girlfriend. "I have been good, thank you Marie. But you don't have to call me Mrs. Vincent, I think we have know each other long enough to call me Pam."  
'Well this is interesting.' Marie thinks. "Ok Mrs. Vin- I mean Pam, sorry." It was rather odd to her that Edd's mother wants Marie to use her name instead of the proper title Marie thought she would prefer.  
Pam smiles at Marie, and attempts small talk again. "So have you drawn anything new?" Drawing was one of the few things that Pam knew about Marie.  
Marie also knew this fact, past Edd she just doesn't share with people outside of her family. "Not really, been trying to work on this one, but I don't have a lot of free time."  
With it being summer vacation Pam found it odd that Marie doesn't have free time like most teens would. "Are you taking summer school?" It was the only logical thing Pam could think of that is taking Marie's free time.  
"Na, with Edd's help me and my sisters didn't have to make up any classes this year."  
Pam felt a sense of pride for her son upon hearing that he helped Marie and her sisters pass the tenth grade. "That is good to hear." Just then Edd returned with the paints his mother sent him off to try on.  
"Mother, they fit just fine." Edd says holding the dress pants out to his mother.  
Pam takes the pants. "Good, how are you for underwear Eddward?"  
Marie couldn't help but let out a laugh as Edd's face turns red. "Mother." He says feeling embarrassed.  
"What?" Pam asks confused. She then looks at Marie and understands. "Oh, I am sorry about that Eddward." Pam can't believe she just embarrassed her son in front of his girlfriends. "Ok, well what about clothing for out of school?" She asks hoping to move past the embarrassing question she asked.  
Edd is thankful that he didn't have to answer the first question. "I have an adequate supply of casual clothing Mother."  
"Well then, let us pay for this and then get some lunch."

As the two teens and one adult walk out of the section of clothes they were in a shirt catches Marie's eye. She runs over to the stack and grabs it. "Edd, this is perfect for you."  
Marie holds the shirt up for Edd to see, it is a black T-shirt with "I prefer to be called an evil genius" written in white letters.  
"I was unaware that I was an evil genius." Edd says looking at the shirt.  
Marie bunches up the shirt. "It's not meant to be real, it's meant to be funny."  
Edd did actually find the words on the shirt a little funny. "It is a little entertaining I will give you that."  
"You should get it." Marie says walking back over to Edd and his mother.  
Pam didn't see the humor in the shirt, yes she know that her son is extremely smart, but he has no traces of anything that even could be considered mildly evil. But the shirt could be a way to earn more favor with Marie. "If you like the shirt Eddward, we can get it for you as an early birthday gift."  
Marie is stunned. 'Crap, I don't even know when his birthday is.' Edd's birthday was something she never learned in the past and it was just something she never thought to ask about. "When IS your B-Day Edd?" She asks.  
"It is in a few weeks Marie, did I never tell you?" Edd had forgotten to tell Marie that his birthday was in the summer. "And yes I would rather like to get the shirt Mother, Marie is right in that it is amusing."  
Pam smiles, points scored in bonding with Marie. "Ok Eddward."  
They start walking and Marie leans up to Edd and whispers into his ear; "I should give you a spanking for not telling me your birthday is coming up."  
Edd assumes that Marie is joking, or at least half joking. "Well, you never did ask." he whispers back. 

* * *

A few days later Marie is in the living room of the trailer putting her shoes on. She has the day off from helping her mother at the diner and of course she is going to head over and spend the day with Edd.  
"Let me guess." Lee says walking into the living room with an old shirt in hand. "Going off to Double Dee's?"  
Marie looks up from her shoes. "Duh, what else would I do?" She asks, finding it odd that her sisters would ask such a question. Marie has spent more time with Edd than her own family over the summer so far.  
Lee rolls her eyes. "A few months at that upscale school and the both of ya are bailing on me."  
"Look, if I knew what May was doing, I would tell ya." Both Marie and Lee noticed right away that May was hardly around anymore. She would get up in the morning with the sisters and if she wasn't working with their mother that day, she would be gone by noon.  
"She just best not be getting into any trouble." Lee says dropping down onto the couch.  
Lee dropping onto the couch caused Marie to bounce up off of it. "Hey!" Marie yells at her sister. But as she yells, there was a knock at the door. "I got it." Marie says, seeing as she was already up she figured she should get the door.  
She walks into the entranceway of the trailer and opens the door. When she sees who is standing outside she smiles wide and jumps at the caller.  
Edd was just able to keep himself from falling over from the force of Marie jumping at him, how he did this was to take the force of Marie hitting him and spin her around. "I guess someone is in a good mood." He says once they stop spinning.  
Marie gives Edd a quick kiss. "I'm always happy to see ya." She gives him a second kiss and then sees what he is wearing. Besides a standard pair of well kept jeans he has on the shirt that his mother got him on the shopping trip to the mall. "I'm guessing ya like the shirt."  
Marie takes a step back, but doesn't let go of Edd. "I do, and I thought it would be appropriate to wear it today." He says as he moves to hold her hands with his.  
"Oh yeah? Why is that?" She asks. Marie was getting excited, she can tell by the look on Edd's face when he has a plan.  
"Well." Edd lets go of one of Marie's hands and reaches into his pocket. "I thought you would be interested in going to this." He hands her a folded piece of paper.  
Curious Marie takes the paper and opens it and quickly scans the writing. "Seriously?" She asks excitement engulfing her face.  
Edd smiles, making Marie happy always makes him happy. "Yes Marie. I have the whole way for us to get there planed out and everything."  
Marie jump hugs Edd again. "This is so awesome! Just let me tell Lee where I'm going."  
Before Edd could say anything Marie was already back inside the trailer. "Hey Lee." Marie yells into the living room at her sister.  
"What?" Lee looks up from the shirt she has in one hand and needle in the other. "You dying or something?"  
"No, just letting you know that Edd is taking me across town to for a date."  
Lee rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Just get home before midnight and not knocked up." Lee didn't feel like she had to worry about the last part, but she wouldn't be Lee if she didn't torment her sister in some fashion.  
"Ugh." Marie glares at her sister. "You literally think the worst is going to happen all the damn time." Marie pulls her head out of the living room and runs out the door.  
Lee goes back to her sewing. "When that is what usually happens, that is what you come to expect little sis." Lee holds the shirt up to look at her repair work. "Eh, not too bad." 

* * *

Edd did have the whole trip planned out, so after two separate bus rides Marie and Edd are standing outside of the Peach Creek Community Center.  
"This is so awesome Edd, I haven't been to an art gallery in years." Marie says as they walk into the building.  
"I had a feeling when I saw the ad for the showing on line that you would like to attend." Edd leads Marie over to the ticket window and purchase their tickets.  
The tickets were just barely in his hand before Marie pulled Edd away. "Come on let's go." Edd could only laugh as his obviously excited girlfriend pulls him off to the part of the event center that is having the art gallery.

As the two teens walked around looking at the various painting and few sculptures it was clear to Edd that Marie was a kid in a candy store. She would run from to one painting, look at it and comment on it then run to the next with Edd trying to keep up with her.  
"Too bad this is all new stuff people have done. Nothing from a long time ago ya know." Marie says as she looks at painting of a grassy field.  
"I take it you would have preferred something of Vincent Van Gogh's to be here?" Edd asks looking away from the painting.  
Marie turns her own head away from the painting to Edd. "That would be cool, but his stuff is worth like millions, no way would it ever be seen here."  
"If you don't mind me asking." The teens start walking away from the painting, they had seen everything in the gallery after running around for over an hour. "How did you develop you love and knowledge of the painting and drawing?"  
"My grandma." Marie says as the near the exit.  
Edd pushes the door open. "Was she an artist herself?"  
"Kinda, I guess you could say she was an exhibition artist when my mom was a little kid. She would paint all kinds of stuff in underpasses and on the side of buildings."  
Wanting to know more about Marie's grandmother, Edd continues the talk about her. "Did she ever do anything that earned her recognition?"  
"Na, she tried to paint a mustache on Mount Rushmore, but she was busted climbing the mountain."  
Edd couldn't help but laugh, he guessed that Marie was very influenced by her grandmother. "Oh my."  
Marie smiles, she loves remembering her grandmother. "Grandma K was the best. She feed my drawing habit when I was a kid. This one time when we all were little she took us to that museum in Lemon Brook as a birthday treat." Marie lets out another laugh. "Mom spent so much time keeping May and Lee off of the dinosaurs that she didn't notice that I was still in the paintings with Grandma K."  
Edd spots a sign on a door opposite of them. "Sounds like she was a great grandmother." He says as he leads Marie across the hall.  
Mare was so lost in her memories of her grandmother that she didn't see where Edd is leading her. "Yeah, she gave me all of these history books about famous artists and their works."  
"That would explains why you did better than everyone, including me, in Fine Arts."  
"Heh." Marie looks around and realizes they are in a room with rows of tables covered in books. "What are we doing in here?" she asks looking at the piles of books next to them.  
Edd jesters with his free hand, the other is firmly grasping Marie's. "They are selling books to go along with the gallery, and if I do recall correctly, I still owe a certain young lady a late birthday gift."  
Marie knows that the proper thing to do would to decline the offer of buying her a book, but Marie is not a proper lady. Her eyes grow wide along with her smile before she began looking through the tables for a book to get.

There were so many books that Marie could hardly choose just one. 'Maybe this one on about landscapes. Oh this one is about the evolution of painting styles in Japan.' She thinks looking from one book to the next.  
Eventually after much self debating Marie decided on the book about Japanese painting, she knows little to nothing about art styles from the east so she felt like it would be the best to get to increase her knowledge.  
"You sure about this one?" Edd asks as they get in line to pay for the book, Marie had changed her mind three times already.  
Marie looks at the book in her hands. "Yes I'm sure." She says nodding her head. "But just so I can't change my mind again, I'm going to go use the bathroom while you pay." Marie hands the book off to Edd and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek.  
"Ok Marie, I'll meet up with you outside the room then." Edd says before Marie walks away.  
The line moves quickly and as Edd nears the register he see that they also have a few stuffed animals for sale as well, he didn't think anything of them until he saw one particular one. Looking at the stuffed animal a light turns on inside his head and he grabs the stuffed animal.

Marie had finished using the facilities of the bathroom before Edd exited the room, so she opted to lean against the wall next to the door. 'God, Edd is just so damn amazing.' She thinks as she starts to smile just at the thought of her boyfriend. 'This day, hell every day that we've been together has been the best. If only Mom had met a guy like mine.' The door open and Edd walks out with the book in one hand and the other behind his back.  
Marie jumps off the wall, seeing Edd's hand behind his back sparked her curiosity. "Hiding something?" She asks trying to look behind Edd.  
Edd holds Marie's book out to her. "Maybe, close your eyes and you will see."  
Marie takes her book from him and closes her eyes. "First there is this." Edd places a soft kiss on Marie's lips causing her to blush. "And second is this."  
Marie opens her eyes. "A stuffed horse?" she is confused about why Edd would buy her the stuffed animal.  
"You said you wanted a pony remember?"  
It clicks in her head and Marie starts to laugh. "I had forgotten that I asked for one." The first day of the end of the year testing she had asked for a pony instead of a snack, but she didn't think he would ever take her up on her request. "Thank you Edd." She takes the stuffed horse from her boyfriend. "This has been a great day."  
"I have thoroughly enjoyed the day myself Marie." Ever sense they became a couple, Edd had felt that drawing feeling grow more and more inside of his heart with each passing moment spent with Marie. It has grown so much that it has evolved into far more than just affection of her as his girlfriend, Edd cares for her more than he has ever cared for anyone. And it was the same for Marie, only she knew what the tight gripping pain in her chest meant. And she wanted to express it to him as best as she could, but not at this moment. 

* * *

A week and a half later Edd wakes up slightly disappointed, his parents were called away on an unexpected business trip leaving him home alone for a few days. Normally Edd would be fine with being alone, but this trip meant his parents would miss his birthday.  
"We're really sorry about this Eddward, your father and I will make it up to you when we get back I promise." His mother had said when they told him the news about the trip.  
Edd lets out a sigh as he gets up off his bed. 'It would have been nice to have dinner with my parents and Marie.' He thinks walking out of his room.

Edd showered and did the rest of his morning cleaning ritual as he always does and the returned to his bedroom to get dressed for the day feeling slightly depressed.  
"Hey there handsome, Happy birthday."  
Edd almost jumped out of his bathrobe, it's a good thing he didn't because he is not wearing anything under it. "Marie! How did- why are you in my- I'm!..." Edd's shocks of Marie being in his room lessened slightly. He takes a deep breath to calm himself and pulls his robe tighter. "Thank you, but why are you in my room at this hour?"  
Marie jumps off the open window sill she was sitting on, it was clear to Edd that she came into his room via the window. "I came to spend the day with you Sweetie."  
Marie has a big plan for this day and she wanted to look her best, so she donned her plaid skirt and a low cut top that was a little bit too small so it clung to her figure.  
Seeing Marie dressed this way, and being in only a bathrobe, made Edd blush. Seeing her long legs uncovered by paints made her almost irresistible to him. "While I am always happy to spend the day with you Marie, I feel as if I should be dressed prior to us meeting up." He had to look away from his girlfriend to gain control of his mind and body.  
"Gotcha, but why don't I pick out what you'll wear? For fun." Marie walks to Edd's closet to look for clothing for her boyfriend to wear.  
"Marie… I'm… I'm not wearing anything under…" Edd couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence, he was feeling too embarrassed.  
"What?" Marie asks turning around. And then it hit her, Marie is so used to her and her sisters sharing their room that the idea of being unclothed would be uncomfortable was just something she never thought of. "OH… I'm sorry Edd." Even her face is red from embarrassment. "Here's some pants and I'll hide in here." Marie tosses Edd a pair of old jeans and then shuts herself inside his closet so he could get partly dressed. "I can't see anything in here." She says from inside the closet.  
Edd doesn't feel much better, he is still basically naked in the same room as his girlfriend. But he can't stay that way, so with his robe still closed tight with one hand Edd walks over and opens the top drawer of his dresser and removes a pair of boxer shorts. He looks back at his closed closet, he trust Marie that she couldn't see out of the closet, but he knows that she is a Kanker and she could jump out at any moment to tease him. So carefully he pulls on the boxers with the robe still covering him and follows with the jeans. He hasn't worn this particular pair in a long time so they were rather tight on him. "Ok." He says taking the robe off. "You can come out now Marie." She has already seen Edd without a shirt on so he isn't worried about her seeing him topless.  
Marie opens the closet door, she didn't try to sneak a peek at Edd while he was getting dressed, instead looked through his clothing. He has several white dress shirts and an arrange of dark colored dress pants on one side and his casual clothing on the other. Where his dress clothing was a limited selection, his casual stuff was more varied. He has about half a dozen jeans, counting the pair she threw at him, a variety of colored T-shirts, and a few long sleeved shirts. And now with her having more light she can make her decision on what he should wear.  
"Humm." She says looking through the shirts.  
Edd was still in a little shock from Marie surprising him that he put on his socks and shoes without thinking about what he was doing and that he was still shirtless.  
"I got it." Marie pulls two articles of clothing out of the closet. "Here, wear this one over the other." Marie holds a black long sleeve shirt and a red T-shirt out to her boyfriend.  
"Isn't it a bit too warm out for long sleeves?" Edd asks taking the shirts from Marie.  
Marie sits down on Edd's bed as he gets up, even though he questioned against it, he is still pulling the long sleeve shirt on. "Don't worry, we won't be outside for long."  
Edd adjusts the black shirt. "Are you planning something Marie?" he asks looking for the bottom of the red shirt.  
Marie smiles. "Maybe." She sings. "But you're going to have to wait as see." As Edd pulls the red shirt on Marie couldn't help but admire the sight before her. With the tighter jeans, black under the red top and his long hair, Marie could only think of how much of a bad boy he looks like. 'Well, he almost looks the part, he still needs something.' She thinks as Edd looks himself over.  
"Well, I feel a bit different, but all in all I can not complain about the clothing you picked out Marie." Edd says as Marie gets up off the bed.  
Marie walks over to his desk saying; "It still needs one final touch." Marie picks up Edd's old ski hat from his desk and walks over to him. She reaches up with the hat and pulls it onto his head flattening out his hair around it. "There. Perfect."  
Edd felt an odd sense of safety with his hat back on his head, he has missed his signature hat. "Do I meet your standards of dress Marie?" He asks as she steps back from him.  
"Yep." She nods. "You look just like a bad boy."  
Edd chuckles. "I should have known that you would try and make me look as such."

After Edd locked up his house Marie lead him off to the Park n' Flush and into the trailer. "I have a birthday surprise for ya Edd." Marie says as she closes the door behind her.  
Normally Edd would hear one of Marie's sisters yell when they entered the trailer, but with no yelling Edd took to assuming that the trailer was empty. "Oh?" He asks as the sound of the dead bolt clicks behind Marie.  
"Yep, it's upstairs." Marie grabs Edd by the wrist. "Come on, I think you are going to love it."

Edd has yet to be inside the sister's bedroom, so when Marie opens the door he looks around. There is the obvious queen size bed that the sisters share, a dresser with a vanity mirror on top of it, a nightstand with a fan and a closet door. The hardwood flooring is just like the kitchen floor, worn down, and the pink wallpaper is starting to peel in the corners of the wall.  
"Come here." Marie pulls Edd to the foot of the bed. She had spent the whole day before cleaning the room and stuffing her and her sisters clothing into the closet, which she is worried my explode open.  
Edd complied with Marie pulling him to the foot of the bed. "Yes?" he asks feeling confused about what she has planned for his birthday.  
"Happy birthday Edd, you are the best boyfriend a girl from the trailer park could have ever asked for. You mean so much to me." Marie leans up and starts to kiss Edd as she wraps her arms around his neck.  
Immediately Edd start to kiss her back and loses himself in the act, so he did not see what was coming next.  
Quickly Marie takes her hands away from Edd's neck and pushes him onto the bed and jumps on top of him.  
"Um, Marie… if I am remembering correctly, you said something about a birthday surprise." Edd didn't want the kissing to stop, but he is concerned that Marie would forget her own plan and be upset at herself.  
Marie smile. "I didn't forget." She takes one of his hands with both of hers and places it on her chest over her heart. "This is your gift. My heart, and everything it's connected to is yours Edd." Marie knows that she is going deep into the sentimental stuff with this statement, but she meant it one hundred percent.  
"Marie…" Edd is trying to stay focused but his hand happens to be touching part of the bare skin of a particular area of Marie's anatomy, so his hormones and teenage boy brain are fighting to take control of him. "That… mine too Marie, my heart is yours too."  
Marie lets go of his hand, it lingered on her chest for a moment, and Edd moves it to her waist. Marie found the fact that Edd kept his hand where it was, even for just that brief moment, as a sign that she can go through with the rest of her plan. So she starts kissing him again, slowly intensifying the mood and atmosphere between the two of them.  
Slowly and carefully planned, Marie moves her hands from his cheeks, to his shoulders, then to his chest. She had to readjust her arms for the next planned move which brought some of Edd's attention to the fact that Marie's hands are on his stomach and slowly moving further down.  
Simultaneously Marie moves from kissing Edd's lips to kissing and biting his neck, something she got a very positive reaction from the last time she did this to him, and moves her hands to the waistband of his jeans. Her fingers find the button on his pants and as she starts to undo the button Edd's own hands grab hers.  
"Marie, what are you doing?" He asks stopping her from undoing the button.  
Marie was startled by him stopping her, she was getting into the mood of what she was doing that stopping shook her. "I just wanna give you the rest of you gift Edd." She thinks that she can still go through with what she wants to do for Edd. So she presses herself against him.  
"Marie, please stop." Marie is puzzled as to why Edd would want her to stop, she assumed that all guys would want their girlfriends to do stuff like this, so him stopping her confuses her.  
"I just wanna make you feel good Edd." She whispers into his ear, hoping that she can make him understand.  
Edd takes his hands off of Marie's and moves them back to her waist so he can move her off of him. He then sits up and says; "I'm just not ready for anything like that, I love you Marie but it just feels too soon for that sort of event."  
Marie's eyes grow wide and she is at a loss for words. He just dropped the big four letter word bomb so nonchalant that she almost isn't sure if she heard him. "You… just said, you love me…"  
Marie's shock confused Edd. "I just assumed that it was obvious that I love you Marie, I can tell that you love me."  
The atmosphere that Marie was riding is gone, the mood she was setting up has changed from desired and passion to a revealing amazement. "I had this whole day planned out." She starts to pout, but it is a playful one. "I was going to show you how much you mean to me and then as the big finally I was going to tell you that I love you."  
Edd caresses her cheek. "You can still tell me."  
Even though the three words were uttered, Marie didn't think they counted. "Well then, Eddward Vincent, I love you. I love every little thing there is about you. From the sound of your voice, to the color of your hair. The way you observe and analyze the world and how you keep everything organized. But most of all, I love you because you gave me back my love of you."  
Edd gives Marie a quick kiss before saying; "And I love you too Marie Kanker. I love your passion for art, and your family. I love your smile and your eyes, and I love your amazing heart that is contained in your beautiful self. I could go on, but I too love everything about you too Marie."  
Edd meant every word, just as Marie did herself. "Edd." It was all Marie could think of, her love for her boyfriend is just over filling her.  
"Marie." Edd says back before giving her another kiss.  
Once again because of how quiet the trailer is, Marie hears Edd's stomach rubble from hunger. The sound officially kills the mood of passion as Marie laughs. "Well I should have expected you to be hungry, I kinda didn't let you eat."  
Edd laughs. "Sorry."  
"You want something to eat? I can make you something." Even though her plan to progress their relationship didn't go as planned, Marie didn't feel disappointed. The day will come when Edd is ready for that sort of thing and Marie is ok with having to wait.  
Edd would in fact like something to eat, but seeing as he is going to miss his traditional dinner with his parents, he figures he could improvise. "Actually, may I borrow your phone?"  
Marie has no idea why he would ask for to use the phone, nor why he would later ask the address of the trailer, but she complied with his request and got the phone for him to use. 

* * *

"You ordered Chinese food?" Marie asks as Edd empties the contents of the plastic bag he got from someone that knocked on the door of the trailer.  
"Well you see." Edd says setting a paper box down on the coffee table in the living room of the trailer. "Every year for my birthday Mother and Father would take me out for Chinese food for dinner, and I had intended to invite you tonight, but Mother and Father had to leave town for a business trip so that plan was canceled."  
Marie picks up a pair of chopsticks and breaks them apart. "So you chose to treat your own girlfriend to Chinese on your birthday, are you sure you know how birthdays work Edd?"  
Edd picks up his own pair of chopsticks. "I understand that it is not normal for someone to treat someone else to food on their own birthday, but who says we have to follow everyone else's ways?" He asks breaking the sticks apart.  
Marie leans over and kissed Edd on the cheek. "I swear to god that if you say something about anarchy or the system I might lose it."  
"Anarchy forever, smash the system?" Edd says smiling.  
Marie starts to laugh really loud. "Oh my god Edd!" She says once her laughter lessens. "I love you, but you are so not bad enough to pull off a saying like that."  
"I know you are right about that. But I did it for the sole point of hearing your laugh."

After their early lunch is finished Edd and Marie went to cuddling on the couch watching bad daytime television. Edd is holding Marie in his arms as he rests against the side of the couch. Marie readjusts herself so she is further down and using Edd's chest as a pillow. 'I want this like every day.' She thinks as Edd kissed the top of her head. 'Edd you are mine for life.'

After Edd's birthday the almost happened event was never spoken of again, almost as if it never happened. But, hands did begin to find their way under shirts when the kissing became heated. Well it was mostly Marie's hands sneaking under Edd's shirt on her own and would have to direct Edd's hands to touch her bare back. 

* * *

"Here this is for you Edd." Marie says a few days after Edd's birthday as she handed him a newspaper wrapped package.  
"What is it?" Edd asks looking at the package as Marie walks into his house.  
"A gift for you silly."  
Edd carefully rips the paper away revealing an old wooden frame. "Marie." He says looking at the picture. "This is amazing."  
Marie had spent a good amount of time on this drawing for Edd, she started the drawing shortly after Edd and her started dating. But it took her longer than she would have liked, because she wanted to remake the drawing she tore out of her sketch book. Well, not fully remake the same drawing to the exact line, she wanted to make a newer and better one. So she spent weeks carefully remaking the outline and basic shapes, but when it came to the clothing she drew them in what they wore at the dance their new school had that lead to their relationship. She also left out the bouquet of flowers as they didn't seem to be relevant to the two teens together on the dance floor. "I named it "Spark of Love"."  
"I love it." Edd says kissing Marie on the cheek. 

* * *

Lee lets out a long sigh as she sits at the table in the kitchen of the trailer. She has started getting very bored all the time now, her sisters are never around. Marie is spending all of her free time with Edd, and May is off doing who knows what. Lee necessarily can't blame her sisters for wanting to do their own things, she has eased up on her sisters and is not trying to control them so much, but she isn't used to being alone.  
"Well, it's not like Marie hasn't gotten out of that shit mood she was in." Lee says out loud to herself. "Double Dee has been good for her."  
Lee had been using her free time alone to fix her and her sisters clothing that has fallen into disrepair. It was only going to be something for her to do with free time to help out her mother, close up some rips in clothing, patch up a few socks, and resew some seems that have broken. But as of late, she's been getting more into it as time went by. She's gotten to the point that she's dragged out her mother's sewing machine and is planning out a shirt she wants to make.  
Originally she was going to save the rest of the money that she stole from John for when things got tighter for the family, but she figured that it wouldn't be too bad if she used some of it to buy herself a few pieces of fabric. Sewing is a new hobby for Lee, but she likes it and is smiling as she pins pieces of fabric together.

Hours later, that Lee didn't even notice had passed, the door to the trailer opens up and Marie walks in.  
"Anyone home?" Marie asks into the trailer.  
Lee looks up from her work. "Yo." She says giving Marie notice that she is home.  
Marie walks into the kitchen finding Lee sitting at the table. "You're still fixing stuff?" She asks looking at the table covered in clothes.  
Lee tossed a shirt at Marie. "Try this on." It was a demand, not a request Lee made as she stands up from the sewing machine.  
Marie looks at the shirt, it's a plane red shirt that has no collar and the seams are not fully straight, but all in all it looks fine to her. With one hand Marie pulls her black T-shirt off and throws it over the back of a chair before pulling the red shirt on.  
Lee walks around and looks at the shirt on Marie as Marie looks at herself. "Humm." Lee pulls at the shirt in various places.  
"Did you make this?" Marie asks as Lee pulls at the sleeves.  
"Yeah."  
"Damn sis, you that board?" Marie asks as Lee pulls the shirt off of her.  
Lee takes the shirt back around to the sewing machine. "I was, but this is kinda fun." 

* * *

"So how's your trip going?" Eddy typed out on his phone before sending the message out.  
A moment later he gets a response; "It is great, we're going on the White House tour tomorrow." Victoria sent back.  
"Excited to see your eventual office?"  
"Oh totally. I am going to take as many pictures as I can."  
"Sounds like your summer is going better than mine."  
"Oh? What is wrong with yours?"  
Eddy looks around his empty room, he is alone in the middle of the week in the middle of the day, something that didn't happen the year before. "Ed and Double Dee have been MIA all summer."  
"Well Double Dee has a girlfriend right? He's probably with her."  
"Ok, that could be it. But what about Ed? He's always hung out with me every day on the summer, but now he's gone half the time and won't tell me what he's up too."  
"Well, maybe he's got a girl of his own."  
Eddy couldn't help but let a laugh out at Victoria's text message. "No way. Ed is my bro and all, but there is no way that Ed is aware enough to get a girl." 

* * *

"So how was your day Kevin?" Nazz types out on her phone with one hand as she walks out of the kitchen of her family home with a pair of bottles of water in the other.  
"It was kinda lame, Eddy spent the whole day texting his lady and Ed was lost in his head. Makes practicing really hard." Kevin setback.  
"Aww. I'm sorry Kev."  
"It's ok, how was your day?"  
"Good, been working out and making sure I land a spot on the cheer team next year." She sends as she walks into the garage of the house.  
"You sure have been doing that a lot."  
"Well, I got a lot of work to do to be the best."  
Nazz tosses one of the bottles of water. "Heads up." She says to the other person in the garage.  
May turns and catches the bottle. "Thanks." She says opening the bottle.  
Early into the start of the summer May called Nazz asking for that help she offered and the two of them have been practicing in Nazz's garage a couple times a week. It started out very basic, but Nazz has been teaching May more and more and the two are learning to work together more and more. And now the two teens are taking a water brake, sweatpants and gym shirts in an un air conditioned garage is not that good of a combination.  
It was strange for May at first, but she has grown to like Nazz and even thinks of her as her friend, her first one outside of her sisters.  
Nazz sits down on the floor and continues to text her boyfriend. "Hey May." She says after reading a message from Kevin about Ed acting odd. "Question for you."  
"Shoot." May says as she takes a drink from her bottle of water.  
"So why do you treat Ed the way you do? I mean you've claimed to like him, yet you scare him all the time."  
May looks at Nazz and thinks. Nazz has kept their practicing on the down low, and she kind of wants to share with someone. "You promise to not tell anyone?" She asks needing to make sure that this will stay between the two of them.  
Nazz was getting curious, and a little excited, she loves learning secrets. "Yes, cross my heart I won't tell a soul."  
May grins wide. "Well, Ed likes it that way."  
Nazz's eyes grow wide. "What, you don't mean?"  
Nazz's enthusiasm fueled May. "I do."  
"Oh my god! Tell me everything!"  
"Well at the dance some guys started to mess with me and…" May then went into the story of the secret she has been keeping from the world. 

* * *

A few days after the school dance May found Ed alone in the hallway and got excited and ran at him. Ed didn't see May, but when she slammed him against the lockers he finally noticed her.  
"Hey there." May said as Ed started to panic.  
After the kiss that May gave him the night before she was wanting more from him. So she quickly pulled Ed down to her level and kisses him. Normally Ed would go ridge and not move or react when May kisses, but this time as May's lips press against his, Ed's mouth opens very slightly. May felt his lips move and that only motivated her.  
May kissed him deeper and then pulled away from him. "See ya later Big Ed, thanks for the morning kiss."

After this May started to find Ed in the same spot everyday and would kiss him the same way day after day. Ed couldn't put his mind in order around what he is doing, he knows that he should not leave Eddy and stand around the mostly empty hallway, but he finds himself waiting for May every day. But what he couldn't understand even more is the fact that he is starting to like what May is doing.  
And after a month or so of this even happening his hands did something completely out of character. As May kissed him, his hands moved to her hips.  
Feeling Ed's hands on her hips excited May, and she responded by kissing him longer and pressing her assets, that she knows Ed likes, against him.  
And feeling her assets only did things to Ed that is going to lead to that massive amount of fear to start shrinking.

Things between Ed and May stayed the same more or less as the school year went on, Ed would find himself waiting for May, she would pin him to the locker and would kiss him and hope that he would touch her again, which didn't happen as often as she would have liked.  
When school ended for the year May decided to have even more fun with Ed. So on the first day Lee was working with their mother and Marie was with Edd, May snuck over to Ed's house and found the window into his basement bedroom.  
She had to wait for him to reappear in his room, but when he did he went straight for his personal bathroom. Seeing him excited her, after the months of basically making out with him on a daily basis she has grown more attached to him.  
A minute later Ed came out of his bathroom and went to lay down on his bed and started reading comic books. Quietly May opened the window, she had popped the lock a while ago as she waited, and climbed into his bedroom.  
May had been in Ed's room once before, but it is nothing like she remembered. Where filth and disorder covered everything, now the room looked mostly clean. His book shelf is packed full with comics and monster movies, the white carpet is actually white, and the odor that was in the room is gone.  
He didn't hear her climb in through the window, or see her tiptoe over to him on the bed, so when she jumped on the bed and pinned his arms over his head he could have died from a heart attack.  
"Hey Ed." She said as his eyes went wide from fear.  
He didn't think he would see May for a while, and even longer if he stayed in his room as much as possible. "M-m-m-ay…" Ed said out of fear.  
May moves her hands from holding his wrists to lacing her fingers with his and holds him down by their joined hands. "I missed ya Ed." May moves to and then kisses Ed, still holding him down to the bed.  
As she is used to, Ed didn't fight against her kissing him. But what she didn't expect was Ed's fingers to go from laying limp to wrapping around her hand like her own fingers on his. This only pushed May to kiss Ed more.

After a longer than she's used too kissing session May finally lets go of Ed's hands and sits up on his stomach. She looks at the boy under her and couldn't help but smile, his arms at still above his head, but his eyes are not closed, he is looking at May. And not with fear in his eyes, he is just looking at her as if she wasn't a bully or his tormentor. "I gotta go, but I'll see ya again Big Ed." May jumps off of Ed and was out the window before he even sat up in the bed.  
"She is pretty." Ed says as he looks at his window. 

* * *

"And then we just started seeing each other all the time. I'll go into his room and give him some kissing and then I'd leave." May says finishing up her story.  
Nazz had remained quiet the whole time, she was not sure what to say about what she heard. May is basically abusing Ed for her own gains, even if he seems to enjoy it. "Have you ever tried being nice to Ed?" She asks.  
"Why?" May asks confused. "Ed likes it this way, and I like it that he likes it."  
"I get that, and I'm only saying this as your friend, but try being nice to him and see what you get. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar."  
Nazz calling May her friend was the nicest thing that could have been said to May. No one ever wanted to be the sisters friends, and someone May wanted as a friend said she was. "I guess it couldn't hurt." Nazz saying she is May's friend is the sole reason that May agreed to try. 

* * *

Later that week when May is free from working she makes the trip she has made several times through the trailer park, over the fence, and down the alley to Ed's house. The window is unlocked just like it always is, and looking into the room she sees Ed sitting on his bed looking away from the window.  
May hasn't needed to be quiet as she climbed into Ed's room for a while now, so he defiantly heard her land on his bedroom floor. But he didn't react to her entering, or walking over to sit on his bed.  
"Hey Ed." May says as she wraps her arms around Ed's neck from behind him.  
Ed never talks when May is in his room, he just sats quiet and lets May do what she wants. And normally May wouldn't think about it, but after hearing Nazz tell her to try and be nice to him, May actually notices what Ed is doing for the first time. He is stiff and shaking slightly and there is a faint layer of sweat on his neck. May finally see it, even though Ed enjoys the kissing she gives him, he is still afraid of her and the aggressive things she has put him through. May feels almost sick, she likes Ed and wants him to like her back, but everything she has done has only hurt him.  
She takes her arms away from his neck and sat down on the bed with her back to him. 'This is wrong, all wrong.' She thinks hating herself. "I'm sorry." She whispers to Ed. "I am a horrible person."  
Ed had been expecting May to start her attack on him as soon as her arms came around him, but when she took them away he became confused. He didn't hear her whisper, but he still turned around to look at May. When he does, he sees the look of self disgust she has on her face. "May… are you ok?" He asks, not knowing why May is acting out of character.  
May looks over at Ed, he isn't shaking and isn't stiff. "I'm a monster Ed." She says looking away from him.  
Ed's simple mind didn't understand what May meant and he took it as if she was calling herself a monster like from a movie, not in the metaphorical sense. "You're not a monster. Monsters are green and from space."  
May couldn't help but let out a laugh at what Ed said, so many things fly over Ed's head. "I don't mean like a monster monster Ed. I'm a monster because I am a horrible person."  
"Why are you a horrible person?" Ed is still confused.  
May turned around so she was fully facing him. "I put you through hell Ed. I played with your emotions and took advantage of you and made you afraid more of me. When I… I should have…" May didn't know how to finish her sentence, she legitimately didn't know how she should have been treating Ed. All she knows is how to bully and have her way.  
And Ed didn't know what she should have been doing otherwise as well, he knows nothing about real girls, only what he has learned from comics and movies. But he knew that May wasn't a horrible person, or a monster. "Um…" he didn't know what to say.  
May stands up from the bed and starts walking to the window, she wanted to leave and to never come back to Ed's bedroom again.  
"May…" Ed says holding his hand out, he had done this instinctively. Despite everything that has happened between the two of them he doesn't want her to leave.  
May stops and turns around, her hair had fallen out of place and she tucked the strands behind her ear as she says; "Ed?"  
The sight of May tucking her hair behind her ear made the feelings Ed has inside of himself flare up. "Don't… go…"  
May couldn't understand why Ed would want her to stay, a normal person would want her to leave. But then Ed isn't a normal person. May takes a careful step back to the bed. "I'm... sorry Ed." She takes another step and Ed doesn't move. Slowly, step by step, May makes her way back to the bed and sits back down on the bed.

May and Ed sit on the bed in silence for a long time, Ed not knowing what to say and May not sure how to even start a conversation.  
Ed's simple mind drifted off to the comic book he was reading the night before, he hadn't finished and he wanted to continue reading. So without really thinking of what he was doing, Ed picked up the comic from the floor by his bed and starts reading again.  
May saw him pick up his comic and start reading. She's never read comic books in the past, she's hardly read anything really, but she is curious about the book he has in his hands.  
"What are you reading?" May asks moving to kneel besides Ed.  
"Um… Batgirl." Ed says looking away from his comic.  
May looks at the woman in a purple costume with red hair. "She looks cool." May knows a little about Batman from watching various movies and shows on TV, but she's never seen a female bat character. "But who is she?"  
Comic books have always made Ed feel safe, so he is less afraid as he held the book in his hand. "You've never heard of Batgirl?"  
May shakes her head. "No, who is she?"

Ed then went into a long description of the lead character of the comic he was reading. May did her best to listen to Ed, but she was more focused on the fact that Ed is talking to her. It was almost like they were normal teens spending time together, not the bully and scared boy.  
They didn't even realize that a vast amount of time had gone by until someone yelled down the stairs to Ed's bedroom. "ED! MOM SAYS DINNER IS READY!"  
Ed and May jump. "Ok Sarah." Ed yells back up at his little sister.  
May looks at the stairs, she knows this once in a lifetime event is over. She sighs and gets up from the bed. "Bye Ed."  
As Ed watched May walk away he stands up from his bed. "Um… bye May. Have a good night."  
May stops, and turns back around. "Thanks for telling me about Batgirl."  
Ed smiles, the first smile he has ever made in May's presence. "You are welcome May."  
Ed's smile emboldens May. She walks back to Ed. "Ed… do you think we can, you know, start over?" May liked how the day turned out, them just being peaceful and no fear and control.  
"Start over?" Ed asks.  
"Yeah… like from the beginning."  
"I, um… don't know what you mean…"  
"Like, we go back and start, like a real… thing."  
Ed kind of understood, May wants to get something real going with Ed, not what is going on now. "Um… o… k…"  
May smiles. "Cool, well I'll see you later then Ed." May wanted to give Ed a hug and kiss him, but that would not go with the flow of starting over.  
"Bye May." Ed says as May walks over to the window.  
He watches her jump up and climbs out the window just as Sarah yells again. "ED MOM SAYS TO GET UP HERE OR YOU'RE GROUNDED!" 

* * *

"Oh come on Edd, you can't smile every time you get a good card." Marie and Edd are sitting at the kitchen table of the sky blue trailer at the Park n' Flush holding cards in their hands. "And you have to keep your hand up so I can't see what you have."  
Edd readjusts his cards so they are upright in his hand. "Sorry, I told you I've never played poker before."  
Marie smiles. "I can tell, you grinned like a little kid when you got that ace."  
Edd blushes as he pulls his cards closer. He rearranges some cards in his hand trying to makes some sense of the game they are playing. "Um." He says looking at his cards. With all the knowledge Edd has you would think that he could be able to math out the way this game is played. But he couldn't figure it out, it also didn't help that Marie has a stone cold poker face.  
"So… let's see them." Marie jesters to Edd's hand of cards.  
Edd moves cards around again. "Ok… I have two fives, a two, a king, and an ace." He says as he sets his cards down on the table.  
Marie looks at Edd's cards. "Sorry Edd, but a pair of fives don't beat." Marie sets his her cards down on the table. "A royal flush." Marie's hand of an ace, king, queen, jack, and ten all of the same suit beat Edd's pair of fives by a large margin.  
Edd looks at Marie's hand of cards. "If I didn't know any better, I would swear that you are cheating."  
Marie gathers up the cards on the table and starts to shuffle them up. "I'm not, I'm just good."  
"Well if you had sleeves on your shirt I would ask to see up them."  
Marie is about to deal out another hand of cards for them, she has been thoroughly enjoying playing cards with Edd, but the sound of the door slamming open followed by a woman's voice yelling; "Marie! May! Come help." Kills her fun.  
"Who is that?" Edd asks looking to the doorway of the kitchen.  
Marie is also looking. "That's… my mom…" Marie is suddenly filled with worry, she had never thought of the event of her mother meeting Edd. And now that it is here, she has no idea what to do.  
The Kanker sisters dislike for men and the torment Marie and her sisters put them through all came from their mother. Marie's mother had been scorned by all of her daughter's fathers and she has grown to hate all men because of them. And Marie has no idea what her mother is going to say, or even do, when she sees Edd. Marie and her sisters have kept Marie's relationship a secret from their mother, the sisters always have each other's backs after all.  
'Well the shit is about to hit the fan.' Marie thinks as she hears her mother yell again.  
"May! Marie! Where are you?"  
Marie takes a deep breath. "May's not home Mom. It's just me… and Edd."  
Edd has no idea about the worry inside of Marie, he just thinks of this as the opportunity to finally meet Marie's mother. "We should go help your mother Marie."  
Marie stands up from the table. "Ok, but just remember that I love you and despite what you might hear, Mom is wrong and I know it."  
Edd is confused." Ok…" He says as they walk out of the kitchen.  
Standing at the door is Marie's mother, a tall curvy woman with thick arms and curly red hair, just like Lee's, dressed in a sleeveless white shirt, that has a few stains, and old and worn jeans. "Who the hell is this Marie?" Marie's mother demands pointing at Edd.  
Marie gathers her courage. "This is Edd Mom. He's my boyfriend." Marie takes Edd's hand with hers and braces herself.  
"It is very nice to meet you Mrs. Kanker." Edd says holding his right hand out to Marie's mother.  
Ms. Kanker looks down at Edd's hand as if it was diseased and shouldn't be touched. "Get rid of him and then help with the groceries."  
Edd is confused, he doesn't understand the anger inside of Marie's mother. Even the teenage boy in front of her is the embodiment of everything she hates about the opposite sex, despite Ms. Kanker having never even seen Edd let alone talk to him.  
"Mom, Edd's not like the rest." Marie tries to defend her boyfriend against her mother.  
Ms. Kanker glares at her daughter. "Marie. Send him home. We are going to talk." Ms. Kanker is extremely mad at her middle child, they know the rules about men, and for Marie to say otherwise was unacceptable.  
Marie wants to argue against her mother, but not in front of Edd. "I'll see ya later Edd." Marie gives Edd's hand a quick squeeze as a way to say goodbye to Edd, hugging or kissing Edd was sure to bring rage from her mother.  
Edd squeezes her hand back and gives her a quick smile. "Goodbye Marie, I look fondly onto our next meeting." Edd then turns to Ms. Kanker. "It was nice to finally meet you Ms. Kanker."  
Ms. Kanker doesn't say a word to Edd, she just stands to the side so he could walk past her.  
Edd looks back at Marie and their eyes lock just as the door is closed in his face. 'I hope you will be ok Marie.' He thinks as he starts walking away from the trailer. 

* * *

That night Edd is sitting on the floor under his window reading. The summer air was enjoyable this night and Edd decided to leave his window open as he read.  
"So Mom isn't happy."  
The sound of Marie's voice startled Edd. "Marie." He says getting up off the floor. "What are you doing here?"  
Marie is sitting sideways on the window sill with her hands on her knee of the leg that is on the sill. "I wanted to get away from the trailer."  
Edd offers her a hand to help her fully into his bedroom. "I take it your mother said some unpleasant things?"  
Marie takes his hand and pulls herself off the sill and to Edd. "She gave me an earful after you left." Marie lets out a long and relaxing sigh as Edd hugs her.  
"Did she yell at you?" Edd holds Marie in his arms hoping that his girlfriend was not yelled at by her mother.  
Marie shakes her head, which buries her head in his chest. "Not really, she just thinks that you are a horrible person just because you're a boy. I tried to get her to understand that you are nothing like mine or my sisters dads, but she just wouldn't see that you are an amazing guy."  
Edd loved hearing Marie say that she thinks he is amazing. "Did she punish you for arguing with her."  
Marie lifts her head up and looks at Edd. "She grounded me for three weeks."  
"And let me guess, you broke your grounding to come over here."  
Marie drops her head back onto Edd's chest. "I didn't want to be home."  
Edd understands to a point, Marie and her mother argued over Edd and Marie's relationship. And when Marie lost, she wanted to get away from her mother, and wherever Edd was is the one place she wanted to be. "Well, why don't you say here for a bit then, we can watch some television on my laptop for a bit."  
Marie smiles. "Clothing optional?" she asks cracking a joke.  
Edd laughs. "Sorry Marie, but no. Mother or Father might come in." 


	8. Second Year, Twice the Love

The start of the new year of school hit the teens of the cul-de-sac before they knew it. Edd is walking back to his house from getting the mail looking at the letters his family got for the day, and the last letter in the stack was from St Mary Abbots. "Hello, what is this?" Edd says looking at the letter from his school.  
Once inside his house Edd places the other letters on the kitchen table and rips the top open of the letter from his school. Edd quickly skims the letter and sees that it is about the start of the new school year that is just a few weeks away. The letter informs him of the date for class registration, information on what the school uniform will be, the same as the year before, and when the first day of school will be. There is also a paragraph for the parents of the nonpublic school children informing them of the discounted prices for the year's tuition due to the school accommodating the public school students for the year.  
"I must make sure Mother and Father know about this, I need to acquire some more school supplies for this year."  
"You know, people are going to start to think you're crazy for talking to yourself."  
Edd looks behind himself. "I'm not crazy Marie, a lot of people talk to themselves to help them remember things."  
After the night when she argued with her mother, Marie has been spending even more time than she already has with Edd, which is here coming over earlier and staying later in the night. Edd suspected that the fight Marie had with her mother made her not want to be home. Edd felt bad for Marie that he has made his girlfriend's home life unenjoyable, but he was doing his best to make the rest of the summer enjoyable.  
Marie nods. "Right… so I'm guessing that that letter is from the school?"  
Edd looks down at the letter. "Yes, it's informing my family and I about the needs for this next year of school and when we need to go sign up for classes."  
Marie looks off into the distance. "Humm, I guess I should talk to my mom about that."  
Edd folds up the letter. "If you'd like, I'm sure Mother would be happy to have you come with us."  
"That would be cool if I could." 

* * *

When the day for registration came Edd's mother has a full car of teens. Along with Marie, Ed and Eddy have joined Pam and Edd in going to St Mary Abbots to sign up for classes for the year. Edd being the gentleman that he is offered the front seat to Marie while he rode in the back between Ed and Eddy.  
The room in the back seat was less than needed so Ed, Edd, and Eddy were more than elbow to elbow, they were shoulder to shoulder with no extra room.  
"Come on Double Dee, give me some room man." Eddy says pushing against Edd to try and get more room.  
Eddy pushing against Edd pushed him into Ed, who got pushed into the window. "Eddy, please stop, we do not have much room in my Mother's car."  
Marie felt bad for her boyfriend, but he gave her the front seat. So she stretches her arms over her head and says; "Your car sure is roomy Pam."  
Pam doesn't take her eyes off of the road in front of her. "Thank you Marie, but I think Eddward and his friends would disagree, judging by the conversation they are having."  
Marie looks back into the back seat of the car at Edd and the others. "Well, one of them could always ride in the trunk." Marie is grinning wide as the Ed's looked at her.  
"Double Dee, is Marie serious?" Ed asks looking at his friend worried.  
Edd doubted that Marie was telling the truth, but he couldn't help it, he had to run with the joke. "I am not sure Ed, Marie is a very serious lady, so she could be." Edd smiles as he looks at his tall friend who has the collar of his green jacket popped up covering his neck.  
Ed looks from Edd to Eddy. "Eddy! I don't want ride in the trunk."  
Eddy rolls his eyes. "He is joking Ed, Sock Head wouldn't make you ride in the trunk."  
Pam couldn't help but smile at the conversation that is going on in her car, Marie seems to get along quite well with her son and his friends. 'Eddward does seem to be smiling a lot more.' She thinks as she pulls into the parking lot of the school.

The gymnasium of the school has been filled with tables with every teacher of the school sitting at one signing up students for their classes.  
"Ok gentlemen, and lady, we need to sign up for Junior year English, Algebra, Intro to Chemistry, Government, Physical Education, and a fine arts class as well." Edd is looking at the letter he got from the school listing off the classes that they will need to attend for the year.  
Eddy groans. "Great more stupid art history crap."  
Marie gives Eddy a quick glare, she loved the art history class. "You could have gone with Choir or Classical Dance if you didn't want to take Art History."  
Edd couldn't help but chuckle at the look on Eddy's face, the look he has is of pure horror at the thought of dancing or singing.

Edd lead his friends and girlfriend around the gymnasium as they signed up for their classes for the year. They signed up for the English, Math, Science, and Social Studies, but when it came to Physical Education and their fine arts class, they had options.  
"Dude, I'm going for this Body Conditioning class." Eddy says writing his name and student ID number down on the list. "What about you guys?"  
"Have you seen me Eddy? Weight lifting is not for me. I will stick with the basic Physical Education class." Edd adds his name to the other list.  
Marie takes the pen from Edd. "I'm with you Edd, normal gym for me." She writes her name and ID number under Edd's.  
"Well what about you Lumpy? Feel like bulking up with me?" Eddy asks the tallest of the four teens.  
Out of Edd and Eddy, Ed has always followed Eddy more, so it is no surprise that he said; "I'll go with you Eddy."

The teens then moved to the last table on their stop managed by Ms. Marpole. "Hi Ms. Marpole." Marie says happy to see her favorite teacher.  
Ms. Marpole smiles wide when her eyes fall on Marie. "Ms. Kanker, just the student I was hoping to see today."  
"Oh?" Marie says curious.  
Ms. Marpole claps her hands together and rubs her palms up and down. "Yes, I am sure you are aware that you got top marks on the end of the year test, but you also held the top grade for the whole half of the year you were in my class. And well I want you in my AP class. It is normally for Seniors and is a very selective class, but I think you can handle it."  
Marie's eyes grow wide, she knew that she had a good grade for the class but not that she was the top for the whole year. And now Ms. Marpole wants to put her in her advanced class. "You think I'm good enough?"  
Ms. Marpole nods her head. "I do Marie, I think you have a great talent that I want to help you grow."  
Edd places his hand on Marie's shoulder. "I think you should give it a try Marie. You know so much about art that I believe you could get top marks in the AP class."  
Edd's words of encouragement sealed the deal for Marie. "Ok. I'll give it a try."  
Ms. Marpole claps her hands together again. "Excellent, you are going to love the class Marie." 

* * *

The second year of school at St Mary Abbots School was turning out to be less difficult for the Ed's, Kanker Sisters, Nazz, Kevin and, Rolf. Sure it was the eleventh grade and the school work was naturally harder than that from the tenth, but the proper students of the private school have gotten used to the public school teens being in there school somewhat. There have even been talks of "cross school dating", as Nazz called it as she told her friends about what she's been hearing during lunch.  
"Well if they are being cool with us, I guess that will make the year less of a drag." Kevin says as the lunch bell rings.  
Edd stands up and offers a hand to Marie. "Being accepted will most certainly make school life more pleasant."  
Marie takes Edd's hand, she still loves all the acts of kindness Edd dose for her, and pulls herself up. "Psh, who cares." The group of teens start walking. "We're only dealing with them for another." She points at Edd.  
Edd knew right away what Marie wanted him to say. "One hundred and sixty days."  
"And that is not counting the weekends and the holiday brakes."  
Marie has basically become part of the group, much to Nazz's delight, though she does wish that her real new friend would hang around at school, but May is still keeping her profile low. But even though May has been not acting as if anything changed over the summer, she did tell Nazz about her and Ed trying to start something real and how being nice to Ed has gotten the simple minded Ed to start getting used to her, a lot has changed and it is eventually going to be learned by others. 

* * *

Sadly the Ed's are in fewer classes together this year. On top of Edd being in a different gym class than his best friends, he is also in a different fine arts class and English class. Edd wanted to try something different and instead of the basic art class that Ed and Eddy took, so he went with the Creative Writing Class. It added more of the same kind of work Edd was getting from his Junior English class, but Edd found the class rather fun. Creative writing wasn't his strong point, but it was a challenge he was enjoying. 

* * *

At the start of the year Eddy got a nice surprise, Victoria sought him out and the two of them have been spending the short amount of time before the start of Homeroom together. With Victoria in her final year of high school, what grade Victoria was in was a question Eddy never thought to ask, she was hitting her books and afterschool activities harder than ever. But after the summer of texting him she knows that she wants something more than just the friendly thing she has going with him.

One Friday morning as Victoria and Eddy are sitting under a tree outside of the school enjoying the company of each other, Eddy asks a question that has been on his mind for a while.  
"Hey Victoria." Eddy says looking over at the blond teen next to him.  
Victoria looks up from her AP Geometry book. "Yes Eddy?"  
"So… what are we?"  
Victoria closes her book and sets it down on her lap before responding. "Well, what do you think we are?" Victoria knows what Eddy wants them to be, it's painfully oblivious to her, but she wants to hear him say it, and she kind of likes teasing him.  
"I would like to say we're more than just friends, but…" Eddy trails off, he wants to be able to say Victoria is his girlfriend, not for the bragging rights of saying he is dating someone as out of his league like Victoria is, but because he really likes her and wants the satisfaction of being her boyfriend and doing relationship things with her.  
Victoria smiles. "Tell you what Eddy, take me out on a date this weekend and if you do a good job, you will earn that title you want."  
Eddy looks at Victoria for a moment, and then jumps up off the ground. "I just remembered I need to talk to Double Dee about… something. I'll see ya later Victoria." Eddy walks quickly away, but stops a few feet away. "I'll text you later about this date." He then starts to run down the lawn to the school.  
Victoria couldn't help but giggle. "I bet he is going to ask Double Dee for some advice."

Edd and Marie are walking down the hall hand in hand on their way to their homeroom classroom. "So what would you like to do for your birthday Marie?" Edd asks. "I know it's a month away, but I figure it would be a good idea to think ahead."  
Marie thinks as she swings their joined hands back and forth. "Um… I dunno, Mom usually takes the night off of work and we have sort of family night. Maybe we can do something the day after?"  
"Ok. We could go out for a late birthday lunch after school. Followed by some ice cream if you'd like."  
Marie smiles. "I'd love to do that Edd."  
Edd smiles back, he still needs to find a gift for her, but Edd is sure that he can figure something out. "Fantastic, where would you like-"  
 ***Wap*  
** Edd is tackled to the ground by Eddy. "Double Dee! I need your help!" Eddy says looking down at his friend pinned face down on the floor.  
"DUDE!"Marie yells as she pushes Eddy off of Edd. "You're going to kill him if you do shit like that." Marie helps Edd up off the ground. "You ok Edd?"  
Edd shakes his head and dusts his dress jacket off. "I am unhurt, thank you Marie." He then turns to Eddy, who is picking himself up off the ground. "What is it that you need help with Eddy?"  
Eddy grabs Edd's jacket. "I have a date with Victoria this weekend, and I need your help making sure I don't fuck this up."  
Edd takes a hold of Eddy's wrists and pulls Eddy's hands off of his jacket. "I'll help you Eddy, but you need to calm down not tackle me anymore."  
Eddy takes a deep breath to try and calm himself. "Ok man, I can do that." 

* * *

Eddy takes a deep breath to gather his nerves. He is sitting outside of Victoria's house, a two story brick building with a white picket fence around the well manicured lawn. He flips the visor of his mother's car down to check his hair in the mirror, getting his driver's license was the only productive thing Eddy did over the summer. His hair is all in order, so Eddy has nothing left to do but get out of the car. Eddy opens the car door and steps out. He walks around the car and stops at the fence and takes another deep breath before opening the gate. With each step Eddy takes his stomach stirs more and more, and when he gets to the door he stops. He needs to knock on the door, but his nerves won't let him.  
'Come on man.' He thinks trying to psych himself up to knock on the door.  
After a minute of standing at the door Eddy finally had the courage to knock, but when he goes to knock, the door opens and Victoria steps out of the door.  
"Hey." She says smiling at him. "Nice suite." Edd had helped Eddy clean and press the suite he wore to the dance and it looks a lot better now.  
The sudden appearance of Victoria left Eddy speechless, the strapless blue dress she is wearing also added to Eddy's loss of words. "H-hi…" he finally says. "How did you know I was here?"  
Victoria points up to the corner of the doorframe. "Dad has CT-TV, I saw you standing out here and I figured you would prefer to keep this on the down low."  
Eddy scratches the back of his head. "Yeah… so, uh you ready?"  
Victoria nods. "Yep."

Once Eddy has Victoria inside the car he was more confident. Edd helped him with a plan and he is sure this plan will earn him the status of Victoria's boyfriend.  
He drives them over to a somewhat fancy restaurant and when he parks the car he is out and around to the passenger side of the car before Victoria even has her seatbelt off. Eddy opens her door for her and holds his hands out to help her out of the car.  
While Eddy has been nice and mostly police to Victoria in the past, he has never done something like this before. "Thank you Eddy." She says taking his hand. She figured that maybe he is just trying to show a little class for her. But as the night went on, Victoria noticed that Eddy was doing far more than just showing some class for her. He held every door open for her, pulled her chair out, and even laid his napkin over his lap. It wasn't until after they ordered their food that Victoria finally understood what was going on.  
"So Victoria…" Eddy quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper. "What do you think about the current political state of the eastern European countries?" He says looking down at the scrap of paper after every other word.  
Victoria didn't see the piece of paper he was looking at, but she likes to think that she knows Eddy well enough to know that something is amiss. "Eddy, what are you doing?"  
"Doing?" Eddy asks trying to look innocent. "I'm not doing anything." He clears his throat. "Well, how about… our nation's trade policies? Do you think we should move to widen our exporting and shrink our importing?" Again he reads from the scrap of paper.  
"Ok Eddy cut the crap. I doubt that you care about importing or exploring, and I would bet good money that you couldn't name three eastern European countries." Victoria is starting to get annoyed, this isn't the boy she likes, this is a pathetic attempt and being something he isn't.  
Eddy is starting to sweat. He looks down at the scrap of paper and back to Victoria. "I… um. I'm just…" He finally gives up and crumples the paper in his hand, this isn't working out like he thought it would. He takes a deep breath and finally admits the truth. "I'm just trying to talk to you about stuff that you might care about, make myself seem like I can hold a brainy conversation." Edd looks away, he figures that he just blew his shot at this date.  
"Eddy." Victoria reaches over and turns Eddy's head back to face her. "I don't like you because you're politically informed or superbly well mannered. I like you because you're funny and because you don't care about the growing amount of importation that is happening right now. You care about what is happening at the moment and not what will happen, and that is what makes you a fun person to be around." Victoria smiles at Eddy, who smiles back. "I want you to be Eddy, not Eddy pretending to be Double Dee."  
"I'm sorry, I just want us to happen, and I want to be able to talk to you about more than stupid TV crap and school and stuff."  
"Are you kidding? I love talking to you about that stuff, you keep me rooted to the incurable condition of being a teenager. I don't want a brain for a boyfriend, I want an Eddy."  
Eddy almost didn't believe what he heard, all the prep work he did with Edd, looking up what her debate club talked about and what is a big issue in the new, was all for nothing. "Dose… that mean I passed?"  
Eddy had already passed this test before it began, Victoria just wanted him to show her a good time, and maybe to pick on him a little. "Yep." She smiles. "Do you want the ceremonial name tag now or later?"  
"What?" Eddy asks as Victoria giggles.  
"Kidding. So, boyfriend, you never did tell me if you caught the new episode of…"

After that the night went by as if it was a normal day for Eddy and Victoria. They talked about all the usually teenager stuff that they always talked about, and Eddy was at his full level of confidence the whole night all the way up to the white picket fence.  
"Thank you for tonight Eddy, it was fun." Victoria says as Eddy turns off the car.  
"You're welcome, I had fun too."  
Eddy didn't move to undo his seatbelt like Victoria was. "Do you want to walk me to the door?" She asks thinking he might not know what comes with the traditional walk to the door.  
"Oh, sure." Eddy quickly unbuckles his seatbelt and opens his door.  
When he gets around to the other side Victoria is already out of the car waiting. Eddy opens the gate and the two start walking up the path to the front door, but Victoria stops Eddy with a hand around his upper arm half way.  
"Why are we stopping?" Eddy asks.  
Victoria points and the top of the door. "CT-TV remember? I don't want Dad to see this."  
"See what?" Eddy asks confused as to what her father shouldn't be seeing.  
"This." Victoria cups Eddy's face and gives him a kiss. It wasn't a very long or deep kiss, but it was a kiss Eddy will remember for years to come.  
Once the kiss was broken, Eddy's brain could only prose small words. "Wow… that was."  
"A good kiss?"  
Eddy nods. "Yeah…"  
Victoria smiles and gives him a quick second kiss. "Good, cause I wanted it to be a good one."  
Eddy's brain is back at full operating speed. "Don't want you folks to see you kissing a boy I take it?"  
"I don't care about that, I just don't want Dad to see the real kiss. Once we're at the door just give me one on the cheek."  
"You thought this through haven't you?"  
"Yep." Victoria smiles wide, causing Eddy to let out a little laugh. 

* * *

After Eddy and Victoria's date, that Eddy told Edd about in mostly full detail, he left out the parts about the kisses, Edd and Marie found themselves in a routine they both were enjoying. They would meet up every morning, sometimes at the end of the cul-de-sac, others at the entrance to the school, and would find an empty place in the cafeteria to sit until the bell rings. They would then walk and sit together in Homeroom, part after but meet up for Intro to Chemistry after first period. They would have to part again after that class, but they would eat lunch after third together and repeat the same action from second period for Junior English and Algebra. The last class of the day for Edd was his Creative Writing class and Marie's was her AP Art class, which happened to be only a few doors apart. After school Marie would walk with Edd, Ed, and Eddy back to the cul-de-sac. Sometimes Ed and Eddy would join them, but everyday after school Edd and Marie would work on any homework that was needed to be done followed by the two of them cuddling in the living room watching television before Edd's parents got home.  
It has gotten to the point that Pam and Jake, Edd's father, don't even ask Marie about saying for dinner, it is a given that she will, she even helps Edd with washing the dishes after. It's almost as if Marie has become part of the Vincent family, albeit for the fact that Edd walks her back to the Park n' Flush every night and still has everything she owns at the trailer.  
Edd knows why she does this, Marie's home life is just not that great this year. May is disappearing still, Lee never was a great conversations, and her mother still has a strong disapprovement of Edd despite her having yet to even talk to him. So he doesn't hold it against Marie that she would rather be with him over at the trailer, and plus the more time he gets to spend with the girl he loves, the better. 

* * *

Life was also going good for May, and it was only about to get better. Nazz and her have been practicing and perfecting their skills, and now it was time for them to put them to the test.  
The tryouts for the school's cheer team was on a Friday after school and May was able to ditch Lee and make her way back to the girls locker room in time.  
"Got rid of Lee?" Nazz asks as she hands May a bag with a change of clothes.  
May takes the bag and opens it up revealing a set of yoga pants and top, a gift from Nazz to May to boost her confidence. "Yeah."  
"You know that if we get on the team, she is going to find out." Nazz says as May starts changing.  
May pulls her shirt off over her head. "I know, but I just don't know how to tell my sisters." May has no idea how she is going to tell her sisters about her wanting to be a cheerleader, let alone that her and Ed are basically dating. Her life has changed so much in just a few months that May doesn't feel like the same May that she was when the gymnasium of Peach Creek High burned down.  
"Well, how did Marie tell you and Lee about her and Double Dee?" Nazz asks as she starts changing herself.  
"Well Marie is always upfront about stuff, so she just said they were dating and went to bed."  
Nazz tosses her school bag into one of the larger lockers on the locker room. "So why don't you do that?"  
May tosses her bag into the locker with Nazz's "Because I'm little May the baby who is too young to know anything about anything."  
Nazz picks up the old boom box she brought with her. "IMO, you should just tell them regardless of what they will say. If you're sisters really do have your back like you say they do, then they will be cool with you being a cheerleader and dating Ed."

Nazz and May walk into the gymnasium, that has several times the number of people in it than the last time they were there for cheerleader tryouts.  
"That is a lot of people." May says looking at the rows of teen's there to watch the twenty or so teens there to tryout for the team.  
Nazz could tell that May was getting nervous. "Yeah, but don't think on it. We know we're good and this is in the bag."  
Nazz and May sit down at the far end of the bench of other teens girls there to try out, all of them glare at May and Nazz. The girls that were on the team the year before still had no love for Nazz, she was always defending her fellow Peach Creek High teens from the ridicule the girls said.

There was a few girls that went before May and Nazz, and while they performed well, May was noticing little flaws that they were doing.  
"Ms. Van Bartonschmeer, you're up." The Cheer team coach says looking at her list of tryouts.  
Nazz stands up and grabs the boom box. "I'm actually doing a duet with May." Nazz points at May as she stands up next to her.  
The other girls all start whispering, it wasn't against the rules of the tryout, but no one has ever done one before so it was strange to everyone. "Humm… Ok girls." The coach says.  
Nazz and May walk out onto the gymnasium floor, Nazz sets the old boom box down on the floor and pushes the play button. "Ready?" she asks May.  
May cracks her neck. "Ready.

The gymnasium of people fell silent as May and Nazz performed, all the work that they did over the summer paid off, every move was done flawlessly as the two teens performed. And when the song ended May and Nazz stopped the crowed was still silent.  
 ***Clap* *Clap*  
** Someone started clapping, and they are soon joined by a seconded and then a third and eventually half the gymnasium was clapping for May and Nazz.  
"I think they liked us." Nazz says she looked at the people in the gymnasium. Even some of the girls that were there to tryout applauded them, but then Nazz's eyes fall on the double doors leading out of the gymnasium. 'Aww crap.' She thinks as she spots the redhead standing at the door.  
May also was looking around, and her eyes fell on her sister. "Shit…" She says as the color drains from her face.  
But then May and Nazz finally realize what Lee is doing, she is not only smiling, but also clapping.  
"Well Ms. Van Bartonschmeer and Ms. Kanker, that was very impressive. I can definitely tell you two have been working hard over the summer." The team coach, who also clapped, says taking May and Nazz's attention away from Lee.  
"Thanks Coach." Nazz says to the teacher before turning to May. "What are you going to do?" May looks away from her sister. "Nothing." May decided that she shouldn't try and hide this from her sisters, but she's not going to flaunt it around either. If they want to ask her about it the she will tell them. "It's my life and I can do what I want."  
"That a girl." Nazz holds her hand up for May to high five her.

Later that night, after going out for celebratory lunch with Nazz, May walked into the trailer, and to no real surprise she found Lee and Marie waiting for her in the kitchen.  
"Hey." May says taking her backpack off of her back.  
Lee and Marie look at each other and then at May. "So… that is what you've been doing all this time? Learning how to dance?" Lee asks crossing her arms and giving May a hundred yard stare through her curly red bangs.  
"No, I haven't been leaning how to just dance, I learned how to be a good cheerleader."  
"Why?" Marie asks.  
"Because I wanted too. I don't care if it's not the Kanker way or is too girly. I like it, and I'm good at it." May expect that her sisters are going to attack her over this, that yelling is about to be done.  
But Marie nor Lee yell. "Jeez, why you so snappy May? I don't care about what you do with you free time." Marie says unsure why her little sister is so defensive.  
"Yeah." Lee adds. "You did good out their May. I just want to know why you thought it was a good idea to dump all your chores on us."  
May is a little stunned, her sisters didn't seem to care. "You guys don't have a problem with me being a cheerleader?"  
Marie and Lee shake their heads. "No." Marie says.  
"So long as you don't ditch your shit on us again, I don't care." Lee says.  
"That's all you care about, me doing the chores?" May looks from Marie to Lee.  
"That and you better not expect any extra treatment for this. If we water balloon bomb the cheerleaders you're getting hit too." Marie says.

And her sisters didn't care when May and Nazz made the cheer team, which made both May and Nazz very happy. May hadn't told Ed about the cheerleading, wanting to keep the two things separate, but it turns out that Victoria was also at the tryouts supporting her little sister and she recognized May and told Eddy about seeing her. So through the grapevine Ed found out about May being a cheerleader, and he gave her praise for making the team. 

* * *

Things were going great for Ed and May, they were still secretly spending the morning before class together, but there was no forced kissing. They would just sit in the empty hall on the floor together. Sometimes they would talk about various things, and others they would just sit in silence.  
With the confidence she got from getting on the cheer team, and with the advancement they have made as a couple, May wondered if they were ready to let other people know that they were a couple and wouldn't have to keep hiding.  
"Hey Ed, so Nazz told me that she's throwing a Halloween party." May says as she looks at the comic book Ed is reading.  
Ed looks up from his comic. "I think Eddy told me about that." His time spent with May has broken Ed's fear. Gone are the times of him sweating and feeling afraid of May, he doesn't stutter when they speak and his mind never shuts down around her.  
"Did… did you wanna go… together?" May asks a little sheepish.  
"Like together together?" Ed asks not sure if he understands what May is asking.  
"Like." May takes Ed's hand and laces their fingers together. "This together." She holds their joined hands up signifying that she wants them to go as a couple.  
Ed feels his heart speed up as he looks at their hands. "What about the others?" He asks concerned about what May's sisters and his friends might say. Edd and Marie were together yes, but Ed doesn't think the open acceptance that they got would be applied to May and him.  
May shrugs her shoulders. "Who cares? It's our lives to live, not theirs." May doesn't care what her sisters will say about Ed and her dating, she likes him and he likes her, they don't need anything more.  
Ed smiles, the bolder and more confidant May has made this whole thing easier for Ed. She helped him come to terms with the fact that he fell for May, granted it was a physical attraction at first, but Ed has grown to like May for more than just how she looks. She wasn't smarter than him or more popular, May was just like Ed. The quiet one without an option that got bossed around, that had hobbies that others didn't care about and family that sometimes pushes them around. They are different in a lot of ways, but similar in just as many. "Can we wear funny costumes?" He asks accepting May's idea.  
May smiles back, happy that Ed wants to go to the party with her. "Sure, what did you have in mind?" 

* * *

The end of October arrived, and Ed couldn't be happier. May and him had gone shopping for Halloween costumes and found a pair that they thought would be funny and obvious that him and May were more than just friends. He started out nervous about the party, but now that it was here, Ed was looking forward to no longer having to hide the fact that he likes May from the world.  
May was going to come over before they go to the party so they could dawn their couple costumes and then walk over to Nazz's house.  
 ***Tap tap*  
** May taps on the window to Ed's bedroom getting his attention.  
Ed jumps off his bed and almost runs to the window. "Hi May." He says letting his excitement show as he unlocks the window for her to climb in.  
May jumps through the window and lands with a smile. "Hey Ed." She gives him a quick kiss, he has to lean down and she needs to stands on her toes to do so. "You ready to go?"  
Ed picks up a bag and holds it out to May. "Yep, here is your costume."  
May takes the bag, hugs Ed and then walks back to the window. "I'll see you outside." She climbs out the window as Ed walks up the stairs of his bedroom.

Once outside Ed walks around to the back of the house, where May was waiting. She has already donned her costume, a giant sized cloth salt shaker. "Here put yours on Ed." She holds Ed's costume out to him. Ed takes it and pulls the equally giant sized cloth costume of a pepper shaker on.  
'He was right, these are funny.' May thinks as she looks at Ed in the novelty costume. They join hands and with hearts speeding and nerves building they walk through the cul-de-sac to Nazz's back yard.

One at the gate to the back yard, they stop and look at each other. "Ready Ed?" May asks as she feels his palms start to sweat.  
Ed swallows, takes a deep breath, and then nods. "Yeah." He is nervous, but he believes with May at his side he can do this.  
May opens the gate and the two of them walk in. The back yard has been decorated with a large variety of Halloween items, pumpkins, both carved and uncarved, strings of orange lights, and fake skeletons hung from the side of the house.  
There wasn't many people in the yard, the other teens from the cul-de-sac and some of their parents, and a few teens Nazz had befriended at St Mary Abbots. So when they walked in hand in hand, everyone saw Ed and May together, and everyone fell silent.  
Nazz is happy to see May and Ed together, but as she looks around at the other kids she sees the shock on everyone's face. They don't know May like she does, nor that Ed likes her back, so Nazz does what any real friends would do in this situation, she grabs a pair of cups full of punch and walks over to Ed and May.  
"Hey guys, glad you could make it." Nazz says as she holds the cups out to Ed and May. "Nice couples costumes too, much better than Double Dee and Marie."  
May looks over at her sister, she is sitting at a picnic table with Edd. Right away May could tell that Edd had a major say in their costumes, they are dressed in white lab coats and hospital scrubs. May's eyes lock with her sisters, the look on Maries face was of pure surprise, eyes wide and mouth hanging open.  
"Holly crap Edd." Marie says looking over at her boyfriend. "This makes everything make sense now, May disappearing just like how you said Ed was."  
Edd is just as shocked as Marie, he should have seen this coming, all of the subtle things Ed was doing should have made it obvious to him. "It does, but I don't believe that it is our place to question why they are together Marie. Maybe why they felt the need to hide it, but what led them together isn't something we should pry into."  
"Oh I know. But I wouldn't be her sister if I didn't give her the sisterly crap she deservers for this." Marie stands up from the picnic table and gabs Edd's hand. "Let's go talk to them."  
Edd lets Marie pull him up. "So long as they wanna talk."  
Edd and Marie walk over to Ed, May, and Nazz. "So little sis, I hope you still have your V-Card."  
"Marie!" May yells, her face bright red. "That's none of your bizness."  
Edd and Nazz are shocked my Marie's question, but when Marie starts to laugh, the level of shock drops. "I'm just kidding May." Marie grabs her sister around the neck. "I don't care if you're a pair of rabbits or not." Marie gives her sister a noogie. "Just stop with all the secrets, it's like I don't know my own baby sister anymore."  
May pulls herself out of Marie's grasp. "There isn't anymore." She uses her hands to try and reorganize her hair from the mess Marie made of it.  
Marie gives May a playful punch in the arm. "Good, now let's show these kids how Kankers party."  
May and Marie both flash a standard evil Kanker smile and take off for the rest of the party. "Guys, don't mess up my stuff! I will totally revoke your friend status." Nazz yells as she chases after May and Marie.  
This left Ed and Edd alone together, and while Marie didn't seem to care, Edd needed to know how Ed went from terrified of May, to dating her. "Ed, if you don't mind me asking, how did you and May come to where you are now?"  
"Um… well May did scare me for a long long time Double Dee, even when the butterflies in my stomach would make me let her do things to me. But then she stopped being mean. She said she was sorry and wanted to start over. Like when I had to start my game over because you said I made a mistake and had to do something different. She was nice to me after that Double Dee, she wanted me to tell her about my comic books and monster movies." Ed starts scratching his head, he is having a hard time putting words to what happened. "May is really pretty Double Dee. And she makes my tummy go rumble, but not like when it's lunch time."  
Edd figures that he might never understand the path of how Ed and May becoming a couple, and that is ok, he doesn't need to know so long as his friend is happy.

May and Ed were questioned by a few others at the party, more than Marie and Edd were about their relationship, but all in all it turned out ok for them. Eddy did claim that he knew about them for weeks but didn't want to say anything, really he didn't know and he just used Victoria's guess about Ed and rand with it.

"Hey Lee." Marie says to her older sister, who had been sitting off by herself for the majority of the night, as she sits down next to her.  
"Sup." Lee says back, taking the cup of punch Marie had in her hand.  
Marie is a little annoyed at her sister taking her drink, but she looked past it, she was there to make sure Lee was ok. "You alright back here? You've been lurking in the shadows all night."  
Lee shrugs her shoulders, she was surprised when Nazz invited her to this party, Marie and May made sense to invite, but not her. "Eh, I'm fine. Dunno why I'm still here and not at home."  
"Cause you're the sister to one of my good friend's girlfriend, sister to my cheer partner, and fourth member of the PCH Girls." Nazz sits down at the table that Marie and Lee are at with a large plate of cakes slices.  
Lee and Marie both raze and eyebrow out of confusion. "PCH Girls?" Lee asks.  
May sits down next to Nazz, with a handful of forks. "It's what Nazz calls us four. We're the four girls that are going to shake up St Mary Abbots who are from Peach Creek High."  
"What are we like greaser gang or something?" Marie asks as May hands her a fork. "Cause I demand to be the leader and to have only the highest of quality of jacket."  
"Who said you get to be the leader?" Lee takes her own fork. "I'm the oldest and the most experienced at leading."  
"I'm the more qualified one, I already have the cool shiv." Marie pulls out her butterfly knife and flips it open.  
"That only makes you the mussel of the group, I'm the most well known one so I should be the figurehead." May says putting her claim in for being the leader of this gang.  
"Hey I came up with the name and the idea, shouldn't I get to be the leader?" Nazz asks as she takes a piece of cake off with her fork.  
The Kanker sisters look at her and laugh together. "Sorry toots, but you're so not bad enough to lead a gang." Lee says, taking a bite of her own piece of cake.  
"Yeah Nazz. You're too soft for the role of leader, maybe you can be the secretary." Marie flips her knife closed and puts it away as she talks. "I think we need an outside option. Hey Edd! Come here please." She sings to her boyfriend who was talking to his fellow Ed's and Kevin.  
Edd looks over at the girls. "Yes Marie?"  
Marie gives Edd the come here finger. "I need your input please."  
Edd walks over to the table of girls. "Yes Marie?" He asks looking at the four teens.  
Marie bats her eyes at Edd. "Who do you think should be the leader of our new gang?" She asks with the most flirtatious voice she can muster.  
Edd looks from his girlfriend to the three other girls at the table. He knows why Marie asked him, because logically she assumed that he would say her, but he felt the wild and bad tendencies Marie has been influencing into him kick in. "May, because she is the most outgoing of the four of you." He quickly turns to walk away hiding the grin he has on his face.  
"HA!" Lee laughs at the shocked Marie. "Looks like you're man doesn't think that much of you Marie."  
Marie squints at Edd, she knows when she's been pranked, and this is a classic style. She quietly gets up from the chair and then breaks into a full on run at Edd. She tackles him to the ground and has him on his back before he knew it.  
Edd expected this to happen, so he was braced for the attack. "Yes love?" he asks trying to hide his smile.  
"You." Marie pins his shoulders to the ground. "Are being a little butt."  
Edd's smile couldn't be contained as his badness grows. "Mine might be little, but yours." Edd uses his hands being uncontrolled by Marie to playfully pinch her butt. "Is cute."  
The pinch made Marie jump slightly and grab his hands. "Hey none of that mister." She pins his wrist to the side of his head. "You are in trouble for not picking my side."  
"Side?" Edd raises his eyebrow. "I am on nobody's side, because nobody is on my side Love."  
Marie loves it every time that Edd jokes around, it shows how conferrable he is around her. "The side of never getting a kiss from your girlfriend ever again?" She asks giving him a sly grin.  
Edd's smiles quickly fades. "I think you would be the best leader of your gang Marie."  
"Good answer." Marie gives Edd a kiss before letting him go and sitting up on him. "Well girls, looks like I'm the leader, Edd says so." She says to her sisters and Nazz.  
"Sorry Marie, but we voted and made Lee the leader." Nazz grins wide as she eats a piece of cake, she is really starting to enjoy this friendship with the Kanker sisters.  
Marie looks from Nazz to Edd. "I hope you're happy Edd, now I have to lead a revolt against my own sister."  
Edd starts to laugh. "Sorry Marie, I'll make it up to you on your birthday."  
"You better." 

* * *

The day of Marie's birthday arrived and both Edd and Marie were excited for the day. Marie for the fact that it's her birthday, and she'll be spending the day after with Edd. And Edd was just excited to see the look on his girlfriends face during homeroom.  
"Happy birthday Marie." Edd says when he spotted his girlfriend at the entrance to the school grounds.  
Marie and Edd hug and kiss. "Thank ya Sweetie." Marie says smiling.  
"Yeah, happy birthday." Eddy says with no enthusiasm. He the stars walking away. "See you later Double Dee."  
"Tell Victoria I say hello." Edd says as Ed and Eddy walk away from Edd and Marie to go find their respectful lady friends.  
Once Eddy and Ed were out of earshot, Edd turns to Marie. "So I think we should spend the morning in Homeroom."  
Marie razes her eyebrow. "Oh?"  
Edd and Marie join hands. "Yes, I think it would be a good idea."  
'You're planning something aren't you?' Marie thinks as they start walking towards the entrance to the school. "I guess we could." She says interested in what Edd is planning. And when Edd smiles Marie knew that he was planning something.

Even though Marie expected something to happen it homeroom, she was not prepared for what was about to happen.  
Edd and Marie are sitting at one of the tables in the back of their homeroom class room, Edd is reading a book on creative writing he got, and Marie is drawing in her sketchbook as she leans against him, this is what they tend to do when in the classroom before the start of the day.  
Marie moves from how she was sitting and kisses Edd on the cheek. "Love ya Edd." She says feeling happy. And Marie is, she really is happy. School is going better than it has ever with Edd helping her with homework. She has the love of the boy she once desired more than anything, and she is getting to hone her skills as an artist with her AP Art class.  
Edd returns the kiss to Marie. "I love you too Marie."  
Just then the door to the class room opens up and an adult male walks in carrying a vase of blue roses. "Marie Kanker?" The man asks reading the name off the card that is attached to the flowers.  
Marie's eyes grow wide as she looks at Edd. "You didn't?"  
"I did." Edd holds his hand up and waves at the man. "She is over here sir."  
The man walks over and sets the flowers down on the table in front of Marie. "Happy birthday young lady, these are from…" He looks at the card again. "Someone who thinks the world of you." He reads the note on the card before walking away.  
Marie, and every other student in the classroom, looks at the dozen blue flowers sitting in front of her. "Edd… they are amazing, but why blue?" She can hardly control the urge to tackle Edd and kiss him.  
"Well, I had a feeling that blue was your favorite color, and I also assumed that you would prefer something untraditional. I take it I was correct?" Edd felt a bit odd having all of the other students looking at him, most of them didn't even know his name. But the look in Marie's eyes made it worth it.  
Marie leans over to Edd so she could whisper in his ear. "Edd, if we were not at school, I would have you on the floor and pants less."  
Edd's eyes grow wide. "Really?" He asks, he didn't think that the flowers would get that level of reaction from Marie.  
Marie grins her mischievous grin. "Well, we're in school, so you'll never know.

Marie was in the best mood she has ever been, say for the day after her and Edd started dating all day. She carried the vase of flowers with her the whole day at school, she told her teachers that it was too big to fit in her locker so she had to keep it with her. And when her, Edd, and Lee walked out of the school she handed the vase off to Lee and tackled Edd to the ground and kisses him.  
After kissing him for several minutes, that annoyed Lee because she had to stand around and endure, Marie finally breaks the kiss. "That is for the flowers. I love them so much Edd."  
"Glad you love them Marie." Marie gets up off of Edd and he stands up. "Have a good night with your family."  
"We will." Marie says taking her flowers back from her sister.

When Marie got home she took the vase of flowers up to the sisters bedroom and knocks some stuff off of the dresser onto the floor and sets the vase down. She walks over to the window and opens the old curtains to lets some light in for the flowers.  
"Double Dee really is retarded for you." Marie turns around and sees Lee walking into the room taking her school clothing off.  
"Edd loves me Lee, and I love him too." Marie starts taking her school clothes off to change into some regular clothing.  
"Love?" Lee says. "That is a big thing to say."  
"It's true."  
"Don't let Mom hear ya say that. She'll take you to get spayed."  
"Mom will never find out how much Edd means to me, she only sees him as a man and not the great guy he is."

The night with her family was a fun night for Marie, her mother ordered pizza for the family and they sat around watching old movies. Marie's birthday gift was the same as it was the year before, an envelope of money. For the past several years the Kanker sisters have all gotten the same thing for their birthdays, their mother just didn't know what to get her daughters for their birthdays and chose to just let them get what they wanted. The sisters knew that the money they were getting was part of what they helped their mother make at the diner over the summer, but they didn't hold it against her, Ms. Kanker works as hard as she can to provide for the family and the sisters usually use their birthday money for something important. Though Marie just couldn't pass up the butterfly knife when she saw it. 

* * *

The next day of school Marie wanted the day to go by faster, she is counting the minutes until Edd and her go out for a late lunch. He had something in his bag that he was keeping a close eye on that drove Marie crazy with curiosity. She had tried sneaking a look into Edd's bag on several occasions, but he was on top of keeping her out.

The longest day of school she could ever remember finally ended, and Marie and Edd are walking away from the school hand in hand.  
"Am I ever going to see what's in your bag?" Marie asks looking at the bulge in his messenger bag.  
Edd moves his bag from his back to the opposite side of Marie, so she couldn't reach it. "Maybe." He says smiling.  
This only made Marie more excited as they walked.

After a while of walking Edd and Marie come upon the same pizzeria that Eddy and Victoria went to the year before.  
Edd gets them a small pizza and they sit in the corner by the arcade machines. "So." Marie takes one of the slices of pizza. "What's in your bag?"  
"You really want to know don't you?" Edd asks unfolding a napkin onto his lap.  
Marie nods as she takes a bite of her pizza.  
"Well, I guess it would be best to get this out of the way." Edd picks up his bag from the floor and sets it on his lap. "Close your eyes."  
Marie sets her pizza down on her plate and covers her eyes. She hears the sound paper reselling as Edd retrieved the item from his bag. "Ok Marie, you can look."  
Marie takes her hands off of her eyes and see's a misshapen mass of wrapping paper, it is wrinkled and bent from being in Edd's bag all day. Excited she starts ripping the paper off, and when the blue paper is nothing but pieces on the table Marie is grinning wide. "Edd this is so freaking awesome."  
For her birthday Edd has gotten her a stuffed animal that closely resembles a stuffed bear, but doesn't have the nose or ears of a stuffed bear, is just black cloth instead of fake fur, and has a cartoonish skeleton on it. "It's a stuffed skellington!" Marie picks up her birthday present and gives it a hug. "Thank you."  
The look on her face told Edd that she liked the gift. Seeing a smile on Marie's face was so out of character for the girl that once tormented him. But she isn't the same person that she once was, being with Edd these past few months has not made her soft, just not as aggressively defensive.  
Even Edd is not the same as he was prior to that night just a few months ago. He jokes around with his friends and Marie, doesn't stress over following rules as much, and has found himself more relaxed than he has in the past.  
"I assume that my gift was adequate?" He asks smiling,  
"And then some. I love it." 

* * *

Edd had a very enjoyable day with Marie. After their lunch they got ice-cream from a shop and then Edd walked Marie home and they sat around outside the trailer for a while eating the ice-cream. Until Marie said she needed to go work on some chores inside the trailer.  
Edd said his farewells to his girlfriend with promises to see her the next day, but he didn't see her at the entrance to the cul-de-sac or at the entrance to the school.  
"Maybe she's just late getting to school Double Dee." Eddy says as they walk down the hall to their shared locker.  
"Hum… Maybe." Edd spins the locker combination in and opens the locker.  
When he opens the metal door a piece of paper falls out. Eddy grabs it as it falls through the air.  
"What the?" Eddy looks at the folded paper. He turns it over and sees some writing. "Oh, this is yours." he holds it piece of paper to Edd.  
Edd takes it and sees the writing. "To my Double hearted boyfriend." Marie has written on the paper, Edd recognized the handwriting.  
Edd opens the paper, but quickly closed it so Eddy couldn't see what was on it. "Well Eddy, I must be off to Homeroom now." He says quickly walking away from Eddy and their locker.  
Edd walks quickly down the hall stowing the paper in his messenger bag. He did not want anyone to see the quickly drawn picture Marie did of herself in her undergarments blowing him a kiss with the caption of; "A preview of YOUR birthday."

Edd found Marie sitting in their homeroom, at their usual table waiting for him. "I see ya got my little gift." She says as he sits down next to her.  
Edd's face is a little red from the image Marie created for him. "I did. I will have to find someplace very safe and well hidden to keep it."  
"Ooo, so you're going to keep it? You bad bad boy Edd." Marie says giving Edd his good morning kiss.  
"Says the girl that drew the picture."  
"Hey, I admit to being a bad girl."

* * *

 **AN: I'm getting close to the end of this story, like two maybe three chapters left. I hope you like how I did May and Ed's story this time around, I found it rather fun dropping the little hints in the chapters before this one.**


	9. Family and Love

"So this is the spreadsheet where I keep the population count of my ant farm in, they have been growing in numbers very steadily." Edd and Marie are sitting on Edd's bed as Edd shows Marie the data he has collected from his ant farm over the years.  
The long list of numbers Edd is showing Marie is impressive, but it's not what she wanted to see. "That's really cool Edd, do you have any pictures of your ants? Like some close up ones?"  
"I do not, but I can show you some pictures off of the internet if you'd like." Edd has no idea why Marie wants to see stuff on ant, but he is happy to share with her.  
"Yes please." She says as Edd closes his spreadsheet.  
Edd opens up his internet browser and types; "insects, ants" into the search bar and hits enter. The page quickly fills with links to various web pages on ants. He uses his finger on the trackpad to navigate the mouse arrow over to and then click on the images tab.  
"Wow." Marie says looking at all the different ants that appeared. "That is a lot of different ants."  
"There are a lot of different ants. Most people only think of red and black ants, but in fact there is a variety of them. Fire, Carpenter, and Pavement are three of them." Edd was getting excited about talking to Marie about ants.  
Marie looks at the pictures on the screen and burns the images into her memory, she needed to get as much detail as she could for a project she is working on. "I have to admit, ants look kinda cool." She says making a long list of mental notes.  
"They are more than just cool Marie, they are extremely fascinating creatures. They can lift ten times their own body weight."  
 ***Knock knock*  
** The knock on the bedroom door brings Edd and Marie's attention off of the laptop to the open door. "Eddward, it's getting late. I think it's time for you to take Marie home, we have a long drive to your Grandfather's tomorrow." Pam says interrupting her son.  
Edd closes his laptop and sets it off to the side. "Yes Mother."  
Pam smiles at the teens and then walks away from the door. "It stinks that you're going away for Thanksgiving Edd." Marie says as she intentionally doesn't get up off the bed.  
It is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and Edd and Marie have been spending the whole day off of school together. It started with working on homework with May, Lee, and Ed, after May and Ed came out as a couple Ed joined the homework group and somehow May was able to keep Ed focused on his homework, something Edd was never able to do.  
Once all the homework was done Ed, May, and Lee left leaving Edd and Marie at Edd's house, his mother was home as well so Marie and Edd just watch television for a couple of hours.  
Edd gets up off his bed and carries his laptop over to his desk. "I know it doesn't seem fair to you, but it has been a very long time since I saw my grandfather." Edd looks at the teen girl sitting on his bed, he can make it through a day without seeing her, but he prefers not too. He loves her more and more as they are together and if he could have, he would have invited her to the family dinner.  
Marie sighs as she slides down the bed getting closer to the floor. "I know, doesn't mean I have to like it."  
Edd walks over and offers a hand to Marie. "I will see you on Friday."  
Marie takes Edd's hand and pulls herself up. "Promus that you will think of me all day?" She asks running her finger up and down Edd's chest.  
The feeling of Marie's finger sent a tingle through Edd causing the hair on his neck stand up. "I am always thinking about you Marie."  
"Even in the shower?" She whispers into his ear.  
Edd's face turns red, but he had become accustom to Marie's ways. "That, is something you are going to have to wait to find out Marie." 

* * *

After the Thanksgiving break a good solid month went by with the same routine for Edd and Marie, say for the snow they are now having to deal with. It had gotten to the point that the Cul-de-sac teens and the Kanker sisters couldn't manage to walk to school. This led to the teens starting to carpool and get rides to school. Kevin also got a driver's license over the summer so he was able to drive Nazz and Rolf to school. Eddy's mother was taking her son, Ed and May to school, May would make the journey to the Cul-de-sac with her sisters who got a ride from Edd's mother.  
"Man, I never thought I would miss the school bus." Eddy says as he waits for Ed to get out of his mother's car.  
"You could have to pay for gas Eddy, and that is not cheep." Eddy turns around and sees Victoria walking over to him, in a royal blue winter jacket and matching scarf.  
Eddy points over his shoulder with his thumb. "Not having to ride with these two would be worth it." Ed and May are walking around the car. "They are taking after Double Dee and Marie too much."  
"Hey!" May glares at Eddy.  
"Are they being all flirty and kissing?" Victoria asks.  
Eddy nods. "Yeah."  
Victoria smiles and crosses the last few feet between Eddy and her. "You don't like them showing affection in public?"  
'Crap.' Eddy realizes that his just backed himself into a corner with his girlfriend. "I didn't say that, just that-"  
Victoria cuts him off by giving him a nice long kiss. "Still have a problem with PDA?" Victoria asks once the kiss is ended.  
The kiss came from out of nowhere and Victoria's kisses already leave Eddy speechless, so with the surprise added to it, Eddy was at a loss for words. "Da…"  
"I think you broke him." May says, she was mad at Eddy at first, but now that he is acting like this she couldn't help but find him funny.  
Victoria takes Eddy's hand. "I think I did, I'll go give him a restart with some hot coco."  
"Victoria seems like a nice chick Ed." May says as Eddy's mother drives away.  
Ed and May join hands. "She makes Eddy nicer." 

* * *

Christmas break finally hit freeing the teens from school until the start of the new calendar year. They were given a good amount of homework to do over the break, but Marie has convinced Edd to do the work later rather than the first day of the break. Instead Marie and Edd are in Edd's bedroom being very unproductive. Edd is sitting with his back against the wall on his bed reading as Marie is lying with her head on his pillow and her legs over Edd's lap with her eyes closed as music comes out of Edd's laptop. With Edd's help, Marie found a long list of music that she liked and they are now listening to some music Edd has never listened to. But he is finding the fast and heavy music actually enjoyable.  
Marie stretches and takes a long breath, she is enjoying the nap she is taking with her boyfriend.  
Edd looks up from his book to see Marie wiggle her toes as she finishes her stretch. Edd looks over at Marie, she has her eyes closed but he is sure she isn't asleep. He then looks over at her feet, and he gets an idea. One that has come to him solely because of Marie influencing him. He sets his book down on the bed, looks to make sure Marie's eyes are still closed, and then reaches over and gives the bottom of Marie's foot a tickle.  
The tickle made Marie's eyes shoot open and she pulls her legs away. "Asdf!" Marie yells, incoherent of what just happened fully.  
Edd couldn't help but laugh at Marie's reaction to the tickling. "Did I wake you Marie?"  
Marie glares at Edd before she jumped at him. Quickly she has him pinned down by his arms. "Yeah ya jerk." Marie says playfully. "And now you're going to have to pay." Marie then starts to tickle Edd's sides, which made him squirm and laugh.  
Edd starts to tickle Marie back, he was only able to give her a few quick tickles, but it was enough to disrupt her. This leads to the two of them getting into a tickle fight, swapping control of the fight back and forth for a good amount of time.

Eventually, after a lot of laughing, Edd has Marie pinned down by her arms. "Truce?" He asks, severally out of breath.  
Marie is also winded. "Wanting to give up?" she asks trying to reach him to continue her attack.  
But Edd grabs her hand and pins them over her head. "Seeing as you are struggling to breathe just like I am, I think it is safe to say that we should call off this war."  
"I'll stop." Marie grins. "But only if you say what I love hearing you say."  
Edd leans down to give Marie a kiss. "I love you Marie Kanker." He whispers to her just before their lips connect. The kissing quickly jumped to an intense level of kissing, which was spearheaded by Marie who quickly wrapped her legs around Edd's. Marie slips her hands, that Edd had let go to hold himself up better, up the back of Edd's shirt and Edd felt a shiver run up his spine as her fingernails run across his back.  
Edd's blood is flying through his veins and his body was reacting to the kissing Marie and him are doing. Edd knows they need to stop before they go too far, his parents could come home at any moment.  
Edd finally pulls away from Marie, breaking their connection. "Marie." He says trying to gain control over his mind again. "We need to stop, Mother or Father might come home."  
Marie doesn't want to stop, she could tell how excited Edd is and is willing to let things go further, she has been surprising her desire for Edd since his Birthday. But she understands that the chance of Edd's parents walking in on them is high and all the work on getting on their good sides she has done could be gone if they are found.  
Marie lets out a sigh and lets go of Edd's legs. "Yeah I guess we should." She drops her arms to her side as Edd sits up on his knees.  
Edd holds his hand out to Marie. "Would you like to head down to the kitchen and make some coffee? Mother got some organic creamer and some Swedish brand ground coffee at the store yesterday."  
The idea of coffee lifted Marie's spirits. "Ooo, that sounds good." 

* * *

Days later the eve of Christmas has arrived and Marie is packing a newspaper wrapped object into her backpack.  
"What are you doing Marie?" Ms. Kanker asks as she walks into the sister's bedroom. The diner was closed for the day and the following one too so the sister's mother was able to be home for the holiday.  
Marie turns and looks over at her mother. "I'm going over to Edd's. We made plans to hang out for a while today." She says setting her backpack up on its end.  
Ms. Kanker glares. "So you're going to skip out on spending time with your sisters and me to see some man?" She asks getting mad at her middle daughter.  
Marie rolls her eyes. "It's just for a couple of hours Mom."  
"With a no good man."  
This made Marie mad. "Edd is not a no good man Mom! He is a great guy."  
"No male is great."  
Marie reaches into her backpack, she was saving this to show to her mother as a gift for Christmas, but clearly it was needed now. Marie pulls out a sheet of paper and holds it up to her mother. "Look at this Mom. You see this? This is my midterm grades, C's, B's and an A. You think I got these on my own? No, Edd helps me with my school work. I'm getting good grades because of him, and he's even helping Lee and May. We're going to graduate because Edd cares enough about me AND my sisters to help us almost everyday after school. Yet you've never even cared to get to know my boyfriend, he means the world to me and his mom and dad like me too. He is not the bad one mom, you are." Marie tosses her midterm grades onto the floor, grabs her backpack and hoodie, and storms out of her room past her mother.  
Ms. Kanker is speechless, her daughters and her have argued in the past, but she has never been attacked like she just was. Ms. Kanker bends down and picks up the piece of paper Marie dropped, her daughters were always D's and F students with the occasional C. But the grades in front of her was clear evidence that Marie's grades have jumped.

Edd was excited for Marie coming over, sure she has been over pretty much every day, but Christmas Eve was when Edd was going to give Marie the gift he acquired for her. But when he opens the door after hearing the knock, his excitement drops. Marie is standing at the door with eyeliner running down her cheeks.  
Marie wanted to look extra attractive for Edd, so she put on some makeup. But the crying that she did on her walk to Edd's made it run.  
"Marie what happened?" Edd asks deeply concerned for his girlfriend.  
Marie jumps at him and hugs him, burying her face in his chest. "Mom and I fought again."  
Edd hugs Marie close. "About me again?" He asks. Edd understands that Marie's mother doesn't like him because of his gender, but he doesn't understand why she wouldn't try to get to know him, or at least meet him.  
Marie nods, still with her face in his chest.  
Edd lifts Marie's head up by her chin. "I'm really sorry Marie." He gives her a kiss to try and comfort her. "Come inside out of the cold and I'll make you some tea."  
"Tea?" Marie asks as Edd takes her hand to lead her into the house.  
Edd closes the front door. "Trust me Love." Edd leads Marie into the living room and sits her down on the couch. "You wait here and I will be back in a moment." Edd kissed Marie on the cheek before walking out of the room.  
"Edd." Marie says stopping Edd.  
"Yes Marie?" Edd asks turning back to face Marie.  
Marie smiles at him. "I love you."  
Edd returns the smile. "I love you too Marie."

The herby taste of the tea actually helped Marie calm down, so after a while they are cuddling on Edd's couch as they watched the Charlie Brown Christmas Special on TV.  
"This movie is really old." Marie says as she takes a drink from her tea. It has started to get cold, but Marie still is enjoying the drink her boyfriend made for her.  
"It is an old one yes, but it is a staple for the holidays."  
"So is gluttony and capitalism."  
Edd looks down at Marie, it was a very un Marie thing for her to say. "Dare I ask where you heard that from?"  
Marie looks up at Edd. "Government class."

After their movie was over Edd asked Marie to wait in the living room for a minute while he ran up to his room. Marie assumes that Edd is going to get what he got her for a gift, so she opens up her school bag and pulls out the newspaper wrapped present she has for him.  
A minute later Edd returned with a rectangle shaped Christmas wrapping paper wrapped object and a smile on his face. He sits down on the couch obviously excited to give Marie her gift. "Merry Christmas Marie." He says holding his gift out to Marie.  
With one hand Marie takes her gift, and with the other she holds Edd's out to him. "Merry Christmas Edd." She says as he takes his gift.  
Edd sets his gift on his lap, he wanted to be a gentleman and let Marie open her gift first. "You first Marie." He says getting more excited.  
Marie looks down at her gift on her lap, it has a good amount of weight and is hard like a plank of wood. Excitedly Marie starts ripping wrapping paper off the gift and sees really quick that it is a plank of wood. But once she has all the paper off she sees that it isn't just a piece of wood, it has a handle and a pair of snap locks.  
Marie razes her eyebrow as she looks at the wooden briefcase in front of her. "What is it Edd?" She asks looking at her boyfriend.  
"Open it and see." He says, as he starts to carefully pull the tape off of the newspaper that Marie used for wrapping paper.  
Marie flips the locks open and lifts the lid up and gasps at the sight before her. Inside the briefcase are rows and rows of art supplies. "Edd, this is fucking awesome!" Marie says running her hand over the row of colored pencils.  
"I take it that you like your set?"  
Marie has always had to scrape by with the supplies she's used for her drawing, mostly dollar store pencils. But this in front of her, all the tools she's never had the opportunity to use, she sees almost endless opportunities for creating with the colored pencils, oil pastels, and watercolor paints. "I love this Edd, I can't wait to put this to work." Marie closes the case and sets it on the couch. "Now finish opening yours."  
Edd had stopped taking the tape off of the paper when Marie reacted to her gift. He starts pulling the tape off again, careful to not rip the paper. Once the tape was off and Edd unfolds the paper he sees an all too familiar notebook.  
"Marie?" He asks confused. "Is this?"  
"Open it." She tells him.  
Edd flips the notebook over and sees that it is in fact the one he once kept pages of notes about Marie in, but the title has been changed from "Marie File" to "Edd & Marie File". Following what she said for him to do, Edd opens the notebook and inside he sees that Marie had written a letter to him.

"Dear Edd.  
First off I love you, second Merry Christmas. It hasn't even been a year since we started dating, but I can safely say that this has been the best year of my life. When I first saw you years ago I knew there was something different about you, that you weren't what my mom said all guys were. And even though I was extremely abusive to you, you were always polite and nice to me. I know now that if I had only shown you even a percent of the kindness you showed me to you, my dream of having you might have happened sooner. But we're here now and that is all I care about now. After that stupid dance at our old school I started going to a dark place over something that, I see now, was so stupid. But then you being you needed to know why I changed so much, and in the end you brought me back from that dark place. You have filled my life with fun, joy, happiness, and most of all love. Know that I will always be yours Edd. You're not just my boyfriend, you're the love of my life, my inspiration, my best friend, and my driving force to kick the world's ass."

Edd is at a loss for words, he just doesn't know what to say. After rereading the letter a second time he is able to muster the words; "I love you Marie."  
Marie smiles. "Keep looking through it."  
Edd turns the page and sees that Marie drew a very detailed drawing of an ant on the next page. The page after that was of more ants in ant hill tunnels. After that there was a few blank pages followed by pages and pages of drawing of Edd and Marie. The pages are of various memorial points in the year that they have been dating, the Monday after the dance when Marie tackled Edd, them napping on his bed, them at the art gallery, and the two of them eating ice cream, just to name a few of the drawing Marie has done.  
"This is truly wonderful Marie." Edd says looking through the pictures.  
Marie is ecstatic that Edd likes her gift. "I'm glad you like it."  
Edd closes the book, and sets it down on his lap. "Where did you find the time to do all of these?" A majority of the day Marie would spend with Edd, so he would have seen her working on these.  
"At night when I can't sleep." Marie says picking up her wooden case, she wants to just look at all the supplies she now has.  
"You can't sleep at night?"  
"Some nights. It just feels like I'm missing something at night and can't get to sleep."  
Curious Edd asks; "What does it feel like you're missing?"  
Marie thinks on this for a moment, she needed to find the best way to describe to Edd what she feels at night. "Ok, so have you ever put on fresh socks out of the dryer?" she asks.  
Edd nods. "Yes, a few times."  
"And they are all warm and make your feet feel warm and conferrable. But then the heat leaves them and you're feet get cold."  
"That is always an unenjoyable experience."  
"Well I feel like your feet do when the heat is gone, like a warmth that I need and want is not there anymore."  
"I see, that is odd." Edd understood the analogy Marie used, but not why she felt that way.  
And it won't be for a couple of years until Edd and Marie understand that because of all the times that the two of them slept together made Marie dependant on the feeling of Edd holding her in his arms, that he made her feel safe and warm when Edd has his arms around Marie.  
Just then the sound of the door opening comes into the living room, along with a howling wind. "Eddward, I am home Son." Jake says as he closes the front door of the house, with a little struggle against the wind.  
Edd gets up from the couch. "Hello Father." He says to his father, before he gives Marie a quick kiss on the cheek. Edd walks out of the living room to find his father removing his winter jacket.  
"This storm is a lot stronger than the weatherman said it was going to be." Jake hangs his coat on the standing coat rack by the door. "Your mother is going to be home from the store soon Eddward, I want you to help her with the shopping bags when she does."  
Edd nods. "Yes Father." Edd was already going to offer the help to his mother when she got home anyways. "Marie is over Father, we were watching Holiday movies just before you arrived."  
Jake looks to the doorway into the living room. "Hello Marie." He says greeting his son's girlfriend.  
"Hello Mr. Vincent." Edd's father prefers the more formal title still.  
Edd walks back into the living room and sees Marie kneeling on the couch looking out the window. "It is coming down really hard."  
Edd kneels down next to her. "It is." Edd looks out the window and sees the wall of snow falling. "This could be the biggest storm of the season."  
"I just hope it lets up when it's time for me to go home."

But the storm didn't, it continued to snow heavily as Pam drove up the driveway and as the two adults and two teens ate dinner.  
It was still snowing as the sun was going down. "I don't think we have any other choice Dear." Pam says as her and Jake look out the window at the several feet of snow covering their front yard.  
Jake takes a deep breath, he didn't like the idea, but there is nothing else they could do. "I know, I just don't know how I feel about our son's girlfriend spending the night."  
Pam had suggested to let Marie stay over for the night, it was snowing too bad to drive Marie home, let alone for her to walk. "You know our son, he is probably already thinking of a way to ask us to let Marie stay here tonight."  
Jake looks away from the window to try and think of any other option, but he couldn't. "Very well." He walks away from the window. "Eddward, come in here please."  
Edd was washing the dishes from the meal that was just eaten with Marie drying them. Edd looks up from the plate he was washing to Marie with a raised eyebrow, who gives him a shrug of her shoulders in return.  
Edd picks up the dry towel from the hanger below the sink. "Coming Father." He dries his hands as he walks out of the kitchen.  
Once in the living room Edd finds his mother and father sitting on the couch. "Eddward." Jake says. "Your mother and I have talked this over, and we feel that if would best if Marie stayed the night here."  
"The storm is too violent for her to make the trip back to her home." Pam adds. "Marie can sleep here on the couch in the living room."  
Edd had in fact been trying to think of ways to convince his parents of letting Marie say the night due to the storm, but his work was all for naught, they had already come to that on their own. "Thank you Mother, thank you Father. I will let her know so she can call her own mother."  
Edd quickly walked back into the kitchen and finds Marie still working on the dishes. "So my mother and father would like you to stay here tonight due to the storm being too dangerous for you to go home in."  
Marie turns around and Edd sees that she has a mischievous look in her eyes. "Ooo, a sleepover." She crosses the distance between them. "Are we going to play house tonight?" Marie wraps the towel she was using to dry the dishes around his neck.  
"Sorry Marie." Edd pulls the towel over his head. "But Mother already said you will be sleeping in the living room tonight."  
"Aww, that's no fun."

As Edd made up the couch for Marie, she sits on the stairs to the second floor looking at the phone Edd had given her to call her mother. But as she sat there in Edd's T-shirt and boxers, she convinced him to let her use them for pajama shorts, she questioned why she should even tell her mother where she is. Marie's mother didn't care about Edd at all and it seemed, to Marie, that if she didn't see the need to get to know Edd, then Marie didn't need to tell her mother where she is.  
Marie sets the phone down on the stair she is sitting on and leans back against the stairs. 'I'm going to spend the night at Edd's. I wonder what we'll do in the morning?' Marie's mind starts to fill with all sorts of activities that they could do in the morning. From just eating breakfast together, to lying around in their pajamas wasting the morning doing nothing, to some far more naughty things. But she quickly threw the idea of doing some more adult rated stuff out the window, with Edd's parents around nothing like that could ever happen.  
"So the couch is all ready for you Marie."  
Marie looks up and sees Edd standing before her with a hand out to help her up. Edd had also changed into his pajamas, a dark blue plaid button up long sleeve night shirt and matching pajama pants. His pajamas made him look cute, but his bunny slippers are the icing on the cake. She laughed for a good solid minute when he put them on.  
"You sure we can't share your bed?" Marie asks taking Edd's hand and pulling herself up.  
"You know Mother and Father would not approve of that." Edd wouldn't be fully honest if he said that the idea of sharing his bed with his girlfriend was a bad one, he would like nothing more than to fall asleep with Marie in his arms. But it is his parents house and thus their rules.  
Edd and Marie walk into the living room, where Edd has laid out a spare pillow and blanket for her. "Well, how about we at least watch another Charismas special on TV before we crash?" Marie asks jumping onto the couch.  
Watching Marie jump onto the couch Edd wishes he had convinced Marie to wear a pair of his pajama pants instead of the boxer shorts she has on now. The sight of her thin long legs was almost too much for Edd.  
He sits down next to Marie, keeping his eyes off of his girlfriend's legs. "I guess we could watch one before turning in for the night."  
Edd picked up the remote and turned on the television and changed channels until he found another Christmas special movie. 

* * *

Despite not wanting to, Edd fell asleep with Marie watching the movie. Marie was the first to fall asleep, with her head resting on Edd's shoulder. Edd didn't have the heart to wake her up when he saw that she was asleep. He figured that he could wait until the movie was over, but he didn't make it to the end of the movie himself.

Without being in his bedroom Edd didn't have his alarm to wake him up in the morning, so he ended up sleeping in for the first time in a very long time.  
It wasn't until Pam came down to start breakfast for the family, Christmas tree shaped waffles, that Edd and Marie are found sleeping together. Pam walked into the living room with a mug of coffee to admire the family's Christmas tree when she finds the two teens asleep on the couch.  
"Well, I should have seen this coming." Pam turns off the television. "Eddward I believe it is time for you to wake up." She gives her son a gentle shake of his shoulder.  
Edd snaps awake and he shakes his head. He is a little confused at first but his memories come back and he remembers why he is on the couch and not in his room.  
"Sorry Mother." Edd says rubbing his eyes. "We were only going to watch a movie before I went up to my room, but I ended up falling asleep."  
Normally Pam would be upset with Edd for not following what her and Jake told him, but the sight of Edd and Marie asleep was just too adorable to be upset with him. "It is ok Eddward, Merry Christmas Son."  
"Merry Christmas Mother."  
The sound of Edd and Pam talking woke Marie, but unlike Edd she remembers cuddling up to Edd as she fell asleep the night before. "Morning." She says starching.  
Edd turns his head to his girlfriend. "Good morning Marie, sorry I did not let you sleep properly."  
Marie shrugs and then cracked her neck. "Eh, it's fine."  
"Would you care to join us for breakfast Marie?" Pam asks. "I'm making waffles for the three of us."  
"Oo, yes pleases."

After breakfast with the Vincents, Marie and Edd are outside in the several feet of snow walking to the Park 'n Flush. They have to take the long way to the trailer park due to most of the roads not plowed.  
"Man, look at all the cars covered in snow, some of them just look like snow piles." Marie points at one car parked on the side of the road.  
"We must have gotten at least four feet of snow fall from the storm." Edd looks around at the snow. "It is rather peaceful, all this snow."  
"Well now it is, but snow is not peaceful at all."  
"Why of you say that?"  
"Well it falls all randomly. And if you ask me, it is proof that chaos is the order of the universe."  
"Chaos is the order of the universe?" Edd is really confused by Marie's statement.  
Marie points up at the clear blue sky with her free hand. "Yeah, look at the starts, they are uncontrollable and do what they want."  
"Well they actually don't do anything, they just sit in the void of space burning. And some of them may have already stopped burning, but their light is still traveling through space."  
"See, you don't know if they are there or not. Chaos."  
Edd didn't have a rebuttal to Marie's statement, he also didn't want to argue against her. "Well, I can see your point."

They finally make it to the sky blue trailer after trucking through the snow covered park, and Marie is a little worried about walking through the front door. She is sure her mother is waiting to ground her, yell at her, and probably ban her from ever seeing Edd again.  
"Think your mom would let me live in your basement?" Marie asks looking from the trailer to Edd.  
"I don't think your mother is going to banish you from your home Marie." Edd gives Marie's hand a reassuring squeeze. "She is your mother and will love and want you regardless of what fight you had."  
Marie looks away from Edd. "You don't know my mom."  
"But I know you." Edd turns Marie's head back around. "And if you are only half as stubborn as her, then I'm sure everything will work out fine in the end."  
"Ok, but if I show up at your house with a bag full of shit then I'm your problem."  
Edd doesn't believe that Marie's mother will kick her out, but if she does then he will do everything he can for her. "I don't think that will happen, but you know that you are always welcome at my home." He gives her a kiss on her cheek. "I love you Marie."  
Marie returns the kiss, but on Edd's lips instead. "I love ya too. Now this foe is beyond you… I'll call ya later if I can."  
With one final kiss shared Edd makes his leave of Marie. She watches Edd retrace the steps they took. 'Well, here we go.' She thinks opening the front door.  
"Where the heck were ya!" Lee yelling was the first thing Marie hears as she walks into the trailer.  
Marie looks to her right and sees Lee standing in the doorway to the living room in a bathrobe and shower cap. "Mom's been worried sick all night."  
Marie is taken back by this. "Mom was worried that I was gone?" She needed to hear it a second time.  
"We all were, you said you were just going over to Edd's for a couple of hours and here you are twenty hours later." Lee crosses her arms.  
"Sorry Lee, that storm hit and I couldn't-"  
Lee cut's Marie off. "I know about the storm, May is up on the roof shoveling the snow off. And it isn't me you need to say sorry too, Mom is up in her room." Lee points up the stairs signaling for Marie to go up them.

Marie takes each step with more time than she should have, she is buying as much time as she can before reaching her mother's bedroom door.  
The door was not shut and Marie sees that the light is on. She doesn't knock but does make her presence known. "Hey Mom… you awake?" most of the time her mother is home is spend sleeping.  
Ms. Kanker looks up at the door. "Yes Marie." She moves to sit up on her bed.  
Marie walks into the small bedroom that has just a small bed and a dresser. "Hi Mom… Merry Christmas."  
Ms. Kanker couldn't help but crack a quick smile, her daughter always knew how to act oblivious. "Merry Christmas Marie."  
"So I got snowed in at Edd last night, didn't want to risk the trip home in the storm." Marie looks away from her mother.  
"So you didn't come home because of the snow?" Ms. Kanker asks. When Marie stormed out Ms. Kanker though she might never come back.  
"Yeah, like four feet fell, it was crazy."  
"So your boyfriend's parents let you stay the night?"  
"It was their idea."  
Ms. Kanker looks down at the picture frame she was looking at. "Marie, sit down."  
Marie looks over and sees her mother doesn't have a look of anger in her eyes like she was expecting. She's not sure what is about to happen, so she takes timid steps to her mother's bed.  
Ms. Kanker picks the picture frame up. "Do you remember when we took this picture?" She holds the picture to her daughter.  
Marie looks at the picture. "Yeah, that was when I was like seven and Grandma K visited for the first time."  
The picture is of Marie with her two sisters being held by their grandmother when they were very little.  
"Well when you left last night Marie it reminded me of the fight I had with my own mother when I was your age."Ms. Kanker sets the picture down. "Back then I was just starting to date Lee's father Butch and your grandmother disapproved of him. I didn't believe her when she told me that he was going to hurt me in the end. And like you did I argued back-"  
Marie cut her mother off wanting to defend her boyfriend. "But Edd isn't like Lee's dad-"  
Ms. Kanker shushes Marie with a finger over her mouth. "Let me finish Marie." She says sternly. "We argued over him so much that I decided that my mother would never understand and I convinced Butch to run away with me to Peach Creek. It wasn't until Lee was coming up on one that I learned that my mother was right, Butch left for work one day and never came back. Had I just listened to my mother about him I would have finished high school and we probably wouldn't be living in a shitty trailer."  
"But Mom, Edd would never do anything like that to me, and I would never run away from Lee, May, or you. Kankers stick together till the end." Marie never knew that her mother and grandmother argued over Lee's father like this. But where Grandma K didn't like Butch for the right reasons, Ms. Kanker doesn't like Edd for the wrong reasons.  
"I talked with your sisters after you left yesterday." Ms. Kanker seems to ignore what Marie just said. "And they confirmed that this Edd is helping not only you with your school work, but also your sisters. And from what they said about how he treats you, he really does care about you. It is too late for me to change my mind about men, I'm done for good with them, but I cannot stop you or sisters from going out and finding someone that makes you happy. I don't want the four of us to go ten years without talking like I did with my mother."  
"Mom, why didn't you go back to Grandma K when Lee's dad left or why did she even let you go for that matter?" Marie's mother basically gave Marie her blessing to date Edd, but this could be the only time Marie could have a serious talk with her mother.  
"Well us Kankers are a very stubborn line of women, I was too proud to ask my mother for help, and I think she thought I would lean on my own and come back to her when I was ready." Which is what Ms. Kanker did. It took her ten years, but she eventually reached out to her mother and they quickly patched things up. Grandma K quickly fell in love with her granddaughters and took a fondness to Marie when she showed some skills as an artist at a young age.  
This was the most affectionate conversation that Marie has ever had with her mother, and sitting there next to her a thought hit her. "I know you hate them for what they did Mom, but Butch, Bubba and Rod gave you us three. So even though they are great big useless fucks, they did help make us so they were good for one thing each."  
Ms. Kanker lets out a quick laugh and wraps her arm around her daughter. "I'm not going to thank them for you three if that is what you are trying to get me to do, but I am grateful that I have you three." 

* * *

Months later an all too familiar after school event is approaching, the Spring Formal is upon the teens. And while the event is the exact same as the year before, a few changes in who is going with who has happened. The three Ed's are going with their lady friends as opposed to the Kanker Sisters and the Ed's going alone. And even though she didn't have anyone to go with, Lee still was going to go with the group of teens. Nazz has really taken to the four girls being friends to the point that all nine teens take up two tables to eat lunch together.  
"So Mother informed me of something interesting this morning." Edd says as Marie and him walk down the hall to their first class together for the day.  
"Oh?" Marie says raising an eyebrow.  
"Yes, Mother and Father have decided to take some time off of work and go out of town for a few days."  
"Your folks are going on a romantic getaway aren't they?" Marie asks as Edd opens the classroom door.  
"I guess they are." Edd found the idea of his parents going away for a romantic weekend alone embarrassing to think about.  
"So you'll be home alone for the weekend?"  
"Mother and Father are leaving Friday morning and will be back Monday night."  
This gave Marie an idea, and she quickly started making a list in her head to prepare for the following Friday night when the school dance is happening. 

* * *

As she walks down the sidewalk, Marie wishes that she had something that she could have worn on her legs under her red and black plaid dress, that is a bit smaller than she remembers from the year before. The wind is blowing sending chills through Marie, it is a lot colder than she thought it was going to be as she walked over to Edd's house.  
When she finally gets to the front door of Edd's house, she doesn't knock, she just opens the door and walks in. "Edd I'm here." She yells into the house. She is over at Edd's house so much that the family told her that she doesn't need to knock when the door is unlocked.  
She locks the front door as she hears Edd yells back; "I am up in my room Marie."  
Marie smiles at the sound of Edd's voice. Like she wrote in the letter for his Christmas gift, this has been the best year of her life. Well the best three hundred and sixty three days of her life, the official one year mark is still a few days off. So many great memories have been made with Edd, from Edd standing up to Scott, to going to the art gallery, to her waking up every morning knowing that Edd is thinking about her.  
And probably the best thing of all was a few weeks after Christmas Marie's mother finally had a proper meeting of Edd. Marie had convinced her mother to let Edd come over one a night that she was going to be able to eat dinner with her daughters. Edd had brought a bouquet of flowers for Ms. Kanker and throughout the night Ms. Kanker saw just how different Edd was to Butch, Bubba, and Rod. That Edd would never leave Marie with a crying baby and a rent that she couldn't pay on her own.  
"Hey good lookin." Marie says leaning against the open door.  
Edd turns around. "Hello beautiful. Where did you get the hand bag?" He asks noticing that Marie had a small purse in her hand.  
Marie grins a very evil grin. "I may have stolen it from the locker room."  
Edd crosses his arms. "Why would you do that?"  
"Cause she was talking shit about us from PCH. I didn't keep her crap that was in it, I dumped that all over the floor." Marie holds the bag up at looks at it, it's a small bag that couldn't hold very much, but the black and red fabric was just too much of a Marie thing that she couldn't help but like it.  
A year ago Edd would have scolded Marie for stealing, but Edd isn't the same as he was a year ago. He have very much been influenced by Marie into not following the rules. "Well I guess if you didn't keep anything that belonged to her it is not too bad." Edd turns and looks down at the tie he is working on.  
Marie walks over to Edd, tossing her purse onto his nightstand, and wraps her arms around him. "I love you Edd." She whispers into his ear.  
Edd leans his head against hers. "I love you too Marie."  
Marie sees that Edd is fumbling with his tie, something that he isn't know for doing. "Here" She turns him around. "Let me help you with that."  
Edd takes his hands off of his tie. "I have no idea why this thing is giving me so much trouble." He says as Marie unties the tie. "I have done this so many times I should be able to do it with my eyes closed."  
Marie flattens the tie against Edd's chest and takes a deep breath. 'Here we go.' She thinks prepping herself for what she is about to do next.  
Lighting fast she pulls the tie out of Edd's shirt collar and tosses it onto the floor before she pushed him onto his bed.  
"Marie? Wha-" Edd's question is cut off by Marie's lips connecting with his.  
The reason Edd was having problems with his tie was because he was nervous. He is in his house alone with Marie with no chance of anyone else being in the house with them and he finds Marie very attractive in her dress. She looks just too irresistible to Edd that his teenage boy brain was losing control to his more primal functions.  
Marie had been planning this night for days, she wanted this to happen in Edd's room, the place she feels the safest. The front door was locked to keep the world out. And she has everything needed in that little purse that she stole from the locker room.  
Their kissing intensified and escalates quickly, but a voice in the back of Marie's head tells her she should make sure that Edd wants to go through with this. "Edd." She whispers pulling away slightly from her boyfriend, who's shirt she had buttoned. "Just say stop and we will."  
But Edd doesn't say stop, instead he pulls Marie back down to him. 

* * *

"I wonder where Double Dee and Marie are." Eddy says as he looks around the gymnasium for his missing friend. It is an hour into the start of the event and Edd had told Eddy that he would be there fifteen minutes after the start and Edd is never late.  
"Well, maybe they are just running late." Victoria says looking around with Eddy.  
Eddy shakes his head. "Not Double Dee, that guy is on time every time."  
Victoria shrugs. "Eh, who cares Eddy? Let's not worry about what Double Dee is doing and enjoy the night."  
Eddy smiles and holds his hand out to Victoria. "Would you like to dance then?" Victoria takes Eddy's hand and he leads her out into the crowd of teens dancing.

They dance for a little while in silence until Victoria figures she should tell Eddy about the letter she got while at school that day. "So I got a letter from Ohio State today."  
"Oh yeah?" Eddy is smiling, he was enjoying himself at the dance.  
"Yeah." Victoria smiles. "I got in and I'll be leaving in the fall for the dorm."  
Eddy's smile fades. "So I guess this means that the end for us is coming then."  
"Well, only if you don't want to try the long distance thing." The song that was playing ends, making the gymnasium quieter.  
"You want to try a long distance relationship?" Eddy asks looking up at his girlfriend with hope in his eyes.  
Victoria leans down and gives Eddy a kiss. "Why wouldn't I? I like you a lot Eddy and I don't see why we should breakup over a few state lines."  
Eddy was losing hope over his relationship fast when this conversation started, but now it was soaring back up. "Then I want to try too." 

* * *

Unlike the rest of the teens Ed and May are not dancing, they are sitting on the few rows of bleachers that were pulled out. They are all the way against the wall just enjoying the music and each other's company. May is leaning against Edd, who has his arm around her, with her cheerleader jacket covering her like a blanket. She and Nazz have quickly risen to the ranks of the best on the team, neither of them got made the team captain, that was giving to a Senior girl that had been on the team for years.  
"You sure you don't want to go out there May?" Ed asks looking out at the teens dancing.  
May shifts making herself more conferrable. "Na, I like it here with you."  
"Ok."  
May looks up at Ed and smiles at her boyfriend. "Hey Ed." She says to get him to look down at her. Ed looks down at her, but doesn't speak. "Are you happy with how things turned out?" She asks. May herself is really happy herself with how they have turned out.  
Ed nods his head. "I like us May. You make me happy." 

* * *

There is clothing on Edd's floor, something that has never happened before, and there are two figures under the covers on the twin sized bed. The figures are resting, both are sticky with sweat and their hearts are still beating fast.  
Marie, who's hair is a mess and her bangs are out of control, is resting her head on top of Edd's chest. She feels like she has never felt before, like her connection to Edd is deeper and that their souls have become intertwined. Marie feels Edd's chest rise and fall as he takes a deep breath and then slowly let it out followed by his arm that is around her pulling her closer.  
"I love you Marie." Edd says as he looks down at the girl using him as a pillow. Edd's hair is also a mess, but he doesn't care. He doesn't even care about the his clothing that is getting wrinkled on the floor, all that matter to him is the seventeen year old girl that he is holding.  
Marie doesn't move her head, but she does respond. "I love you too Edd."

The teens lay on Edd's bed in silence for a while longer until they have calmed down and the are back to a standard level of body activities.  
"Marie, would you like to go to the dance?" Edd asks looking at his alarm clock. There is still some time left before the dance half of the event is over and the dinner starts.  
Marie looks up at Edd. "Mmm… Na, I wanna stay here with you." She had no interest in going to dance to begin with, and what Edd and her just did was far more fun that she thought she could have had at the dance.  
"Ok… but maybe we should get dressed." The fact that he is only in his boxers and Marie is equally unclothed is hitting Edd and he is starting to become a little embarrassed. He's nowhere near the amount of embarrassed he was when Marie surprised him on his birthday, the recent activity has made his embarrassment about being unclothed around Marie almost nonexistence, but he still feels the need to be properly dressed.  
Marie smiles and lifts herself up onto her elbows, giving Edd a good look at her goods. "Aww, you don't wanna stay in bed like we are?"  
Edd is unable to take his eyes off of what Marie is showing off, and she sees where his eyes are looking. "Um…"  
Marie starts to laugh and moves up to kiss Edd. "I'm just messing with you Edd, but I would like something to drink if YOU wanna get out of bed." 

* * *

After the night of the dance Edd felt as if Marie is someone he could see being with for the rest of his life. Sure he is still just a kid and doesn't even have a high school diploma under his belt yet, but he can't help but feel this way.  
After they spent three hours laying in his bed they finally did get up. They were both hungry and wanted something to eat. As they were getting dressed Marie snatched up Edd's white button up dress shirt and put just that on and said he'd get it back in the morning.  
The look Marie had on her face made Edd not want to argue with her, she just looked so happy to be in his shirt, and she looked cute in it too.  
Edd threw on a white undershirt and they went down stairs together to find something for them to eat. "Hey Edd." Marie said as she jumped up onto the countertop next to the fridge. "Can I make some coffee?"  
"Sure." Edd was looking in the fridge for something for them to eat, but nothing was catching his eye.  
As Marie jumped off the counter to start the coffee making process, Edd closes the fridge and sees a leaflet that had been attached to the door. "Humm." He said as an idea came to him.

Thirty minutes later Edd and Marie are sitting at the dining table drinking their coffee and eating from little paper square boxes. Edd had ordered some Chinese food for the two of them to eat, and Marie loved that they were sitting partially undressed at the table eating. She hopes that this is not the last time that this event will happen, that Edd and her will have more meals together not fully clothed. 

* * *

"Come on guys, we gotta get a group photo." Nazz has been trying to get the rest of her friends from the Cul-de-sac to take a group photo at St Mary Abbots School all day. "This is the last day we'll ever be here."  
Nazz moves to stand in front of the group of teens that are trying to walk out of the tan brick building. "Come on Nazz, I wanna get home and take this monkey suite off for the last time." Eddy tries to walk past his friend, but is stopped by a hand on his shoulder.  
"I think you should do it Eddy." Victoria says stopping Eddy.  
"Thank you Victoria." Nazz smiles at the older girl. Victoria has turned out to be a good friend to the rest of the teens, she had been at every event the cheerleaders were at and picked her younger sister up from after school practices so Nazz had plenty of chances to talk to Eddy's girlfriend.  
With Victoria encouraging Eddy to stay, he was locked in to taking the picture. "Alright, let's make this quick."  
Nazz grins. "Ok everyone group up." Nazz waves her hands to try and get her friends to get closer together. "Marie, lookup."  
Marie had been looking at a few sheets of paper in her hand as Edd and her walk out of the school. "What?" She looks up and looks around taking in where she was.  
"Nazz wants us to take a group photo before we head home." Edd was walking next to Marie really happy for his girlfriend over what the papers she has say on them.  
"Oh, ok. Can you keep this safe for me?" Marie carefully folds the papers back up and slips them into the envelope.  
Edd takes the envelope from Marie and opens his black messenger bag, that still has the DD + M in a whiteout heart on it, and slips the envelope into his bag. "I promise to keep your letter from Ms. Marpole safe."

As Marie was walking out of her AP art class for the last time she was stopped by her teacher. "Marie." Ms. Marpole stood up from her desk. "I have something I want you to have." She held an envelope out to Marie.  
"What is it?" Marie asked taking the envelope from her teacher.  
Ms. Marpole cracked a smile. "It's a letter of recommendation, for when you apply for college next year."  
Marie looked at the envelope, collage was something she never planned to go to. "What makes you think I would apply to go to one?" Marie looked up at her favorite teacher.  
"Well I think you should." Ms. Marpole walked around her desk to in front of Marie. "You have a gift for the arts Marie, and you will be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't seek higher learning. There are several schools that focus on art degrees that I listed in there that you should look into."  
Ms. Marpole has only ever giving Marie encouragement when it came to her school work, making her the first teacher Marie has ever liked. And hearing her tell Marie to keep going with honing her passion was something Marie couldn't fully say no to.  
"I'll look into it Ms. Marpole and talk with my mom about it." Marie held the letter close, this could be her ticket to a life that she would enjoy. Not that her dreams of being with Edd for the rest of her life wasn't already an enjoyable dream, just that this is something she would be doing for a career.  
Ms. Marpole smiled again. "I'm happy to hear that Marie. I am going to miss you next year, you were a joy to teach."  
Hearing this made Marie feel embarrassed and a little emotional, if she wasn't a Kanker she might have given Ms. Marpole a hug. But she didn't, and instead said; "It was fun being in your class, I learned a lot."  
"Marie?" Edd stuck his head into the classroom, he had been waiting for his girlfriend to come out of the classroom. "The others are waiting for us."  
Marie and Ms. Marpole both looked at Edd when he spoke, but now they look back at each other. "Have a good summer Marie." Ms. Marpole said giving Marie one last smile.  
Marie returned the smile. "Thanks, you too Teach."

As Edd and her walked down the hallway Marie read the letter Ms. Marpole gave her. It started out with Ms. Marpole's full name and titles, turned out she has a masters in art history and teaching, followed by her recommendation about Marie.

"Marie Kanker is an exceptional art student and has shown great desire in the subject. She was a very productive member of my class and partook in every conversation held in class. She has also improved vastly with her regular schoolwork over the year and a half I had taught her. It is my professional opinion that she would benefit greatly from admission to your school."

Edd closes his bag as the teens gather around and he puts his arm around Marie. Victoria makes her way out of the group, but stops when Nazz speaks. "Hey Victoria, where you going?" Nazz asks as she pulls her camera out of her bag.  
Victoria looks around. "Well this is a friends group photo."  
"And you're our friend, so stand next to Eddy." Nazz grabs a passing kid. "You mind taking our photo real quick?" She asks holding her camera to the kid.  
The kid takes the camera and Nazz rushes over to stand next to Kevin. She has just enough time to turn around and smile before the kid snaps the picture.  
"Thanks." Nazz says as the boy tosses her her camera. "I'll get copies made up for all of us, I don't ever wanna forget our time here at St Mary Abbots."  
"I agree." Edd adds. "This has been a well worth it experience." He gives Marie a quick kiss on the cheek.  
"Well of course you would." Eddy says. "You spent like all year making out with Marie."  
This gets a few laughs from the teens. Eddy expected this to embarrass his friend, but it takes a lot more for Edd to get embarrassed after the year and a half that has passed. "Well Eddy." Edd grins a sly grin. "If something is enjoyable you should do it often."  
Eddy was lost for words as the group laughed louder at Edd's comment than they did at Eddy's joke. 

* * *

AN: Not going to lie, I am a little worried about this chapter and how it is received. I am not very good at risque writing. Also this is the penultimate chapter of From Dance to Dance so I do hope you enjoyed it.


	10. Wrapping it up with a Barbecue & a Bang

Edd lets out a sigh as he looks down at the papers he is supposed to be organizing. After his seventeenth birthday Edd's father offered him to intern at his law office, it is a good opportunity for Edd and would look good on college applications, so he took his father's offer.  
But it quickly became clear to Edd that his father wasn't just trying to help his son with a college application, he is trying to get Edd more interested in a career in law. Jake would have Edd sit in when he talked with clients and would have Edd organize his papers for cases, which Edd is supposed to be doing now.  
His parents pushing Edd more to go into law only pushed him further away from ever even thinking of going to laws school.  
"Eddward." Jake walks over to the desk his son was working at. "You can go ahead and take your lunch break." Jake assume that his son was hungry and thus was being unproductive because so.  
Edd looks up from the work he was not doing. "Thank you Father."  
Edd gets up from his desk and grabs his black messenger bag and heads for the door of the office.

Edd's father's office building has a small courtyard with a tree and a picnic table for people to eat at. Right away Edd took to eating his lunch at the table everyday as a way to escape the office work he has been doing.  
He sits down, removes the paper bag that has his lunch inside of it, sets the paper bag down and then opens it. He has small tupperware container of trail mix and granola, an apple, a bottle of brewed tea, and a chocolate bar.  
Edd is used to being alone in the courtyard, so the sound of someone talking was something he never expected.  
"Hey." A female voice says from above Edd.  
Edd looks up and sees someone sitting on a branch of the tree. "Marie? What are you doing up there?" He asks confused as to why his girlfriend is in the tree he is sitting under.  
"Just defacing private property." Marie says pointing down at the tree trunk below her with her open butterfly knife.  
Edd looks to where Marie is pointing and sees the all too familiar heart and three letters he has come to know as Marie's personal mark she will leave around the city. Edd smiles at the tree as Marie jumps off of the tree.  
Marie lands with her feet next to each other with her arms outstretched. "Been learning from May?" Edd asks as he stands up from the table.  
Marie hugs and kisses him before responding. "I may have picked up a few things from her."  
Seeing Marie lifted Edd's spirits washing away the boredom that had taken over when he was meant to be working. "How has your day been Marie?" Edd asks as they sit down at the table together.  
Edd opens the tupperware container and offers Marie some of the trail mix. "It's been really boring. I miss a certain super smart and super sexy boy."  
With Edd working with his father the time Marie and Edd could be together was cut severally, leaving the both of them missing each other very much. "I miss you too Marie. And I am starting to think this internship was not what I thought it was going to be."  
Marie takes a few bits of trail mix to eat. "Is your dad pushing law school on you all day?" She asks eating the bits.  
Edd opens the bottle of tea. "On the ride to the office, after I sit in on him talking to his clients, and on the ride home." Edd takes a long drink of tea.  
"Why don't you tell them that you can't stand law?" Marie picks up Edd's candy bar and breaks it in half before opening the package. "You shouldn't have to keep who you are a secret."  
"I know, but I just don't know how bring it up with them."  
"Dropping the bomb like it's no big deal has always worked for me." Marie takes a bite out of the chocolate bar.  
"I think Mother and Father would react far more negative than your mother and sisters do."  
"Well the longer you wait, the harder it is going to be. You don't want to be sitting in law school hating your life because you were too afraid to confront your parents."  
"I know." Edd says for the second time. He knows that he needs to tell his parents that he wants to be an Entomologist and not a Lawyer like his father. "I just don't want them to see me as a disappointment."  
Marie turns Edd's head so they are looking at each other. "There is no way you could ever be a disappointment to your parents. Or to anyone for that matter. You are an amazing, smart, kind, and loving person Edd. And if they do disown you, we can just run away and we can find a place all our own." Marie meant the part about them running away as a joke to try and lift his spirits, she has no interest in abandoning her sisters and mother.  
Edd looks into Marie's eyes. "I would follow you anywhere Marie." Edd meant this statement one hundred percent. Wherever Marie will go he intends to follow her.  
Marie pulls Edd's head to her and kisses him. "I love you Edd." She smiles wide at her boyfriend. "And I'd follow you anywhere too." 

* * *

Edd decided that he should have evidence that supports his claim to not go into law, so he held off telling his parents that he doesn't want to be a lawyer until he has what he needs.  
Unfortunately he is going to forget about talking to his parents after the fun day he had with his friends.  
Nazz sent out a call to all of the kids of the Cul-de-sac and the Kankers to do a big group outing to the public pool. She wouldn't take no for an answer so on a Saturday afternoon the Ed's, Kankers, Kevin, and Rolf joined Nazz at the pool.  
Eddy also went ahead and invited Victoria to join them, she is leaving for collage in just a few months and Eddy wanted to spend as much time as he could with his girlfriend.

The teens were having a lot of fun playing around in the water, laughing and splashing each other. Rolf tried to fish in the pool until he snagged Kevin's swimwear and had his fishing rod thrown over the fence.  
Lee however hasn't gotten into the water. She is laying out on one of the beach chairs that are around the pool sunbathing with some sunglasses on, that she stole from the locker room. Oddly she hasn't been getting a tan at all, and she has been lying out in the sun for a few hours.  
"Hello Lee." Lee lifts her sunglasses up and sees that Victoria has walked over and sat down next to her. Victoria has avoided talking to Lee, she knows about the history she has with her boyfriend and Victoria never knew how to talk to the one time tormentor of Eddy. But with her leaving soon she felt like she needs to leave on good terms with all the teens that Eddy is friends with.  
"Sup." Lee lowers her glasses. She also never sought Victoria out for conversational needs, mostly because she has never had anything to say to the tall blond.  
Victoria looks away from Lee to the teens in the pool. "So I heard about what you did to John."  
"Going to try and tell me off?" Lee looks over expecting to be yelled at for braking John's finger and keying his car.  
"If he was the same guy I knew years ago and not the ass hole that he turned into, maybe. But after everything I went through with him I think he deserved the wakeup call." Victoria picks up the bottle of tanning lotion that is on the ground between the two chairs.  
"Did he try and get into your pants too?" Lee asks as Victoria squirts lotion into her hand.  
"Multiple times." Victoria rubs the lotion onto her arms. "He even tried to get me to go out to his car at the Spring Formal two years ago to drink with his friends. He probably wanted to get me drunk to take advantage of me." Lee can see the anger in Victoria's eyes.  
"Is he friends with a jackass named Scott?" Lee asks remembering what Marie told her about her ex boyfriend.  
Victoria moves to applying the tanning lotion to her legs. "He is, and he deserved what Marie and Double Dee did to him." Victoria leans back onto the back rest. "But I didn't come over to talk about guys that are jackasses, I came to talk to you about Eddy."  
"I thought you didn't want to talk about Jackasses?" Lee cracks a smile.  
Victoria points at Lee. "As you remember him. But Eddy isn't a jackass Lee, he's turned into a rather nice guy."  
Lee shrugs her shoulders and closes her eyes. "Eh, whatever."  
"The thing is Lee, I have a morbid curiosity to find out what happened between you and Eddy."  
Lee opens her eyes. "What do you mean?" Lee looks over at Victoria.  
"Well, you and your sisters each had a thing for Eddy and his friends, yet it was just May and Marie that followed through with starting a relationship with Ed and Double Dee."  
"So?" Lee knew what was coming next, it was a question she asked herself over the last summer while she was alone all the time.  
"I just wanna know what happened with you." Victoria feels rather guilty for asking this of Lee, but besides wanting to leave on friendly terms, she also wants to make sure that when she was gone, Lee wouldn't try and steal Eddy away from her.  
Lee looks at the pool at Eddy laughing at May and Marie chicken fighting from on top their boyfriend's shoulders. "Honestly, I don't think I ever really did have a thing for him. It was my sisters that fell for his friends and I just went along for the ride." Lee came to the conclusion that she never liked Eddy like her sisters like his friends months ago. She hasn't even felt the need to look for another boy to date, guys just don't interest her anymore lately.  
"That, sounds kind of sad actually Lee," Victoria feels ever worse now that Lee told her this.  
"It's fine, Marie and May being happy makes me happy."  
"Well don't sell yourself short, everyone needs someone to make them happy. You might not meet them in high school, but there is someone out there for you." Victoria gives Lee a smile. She still feels guilty for having to ask Lee about Eddy, but the thought of him being stolen away from her had driven her to the question, that she knows now she should never have had to ask.  
Lee found the vote of confidence from Victoria in finding a partner rather odd, but Lee doubts that she'll ever find someone that would interest her again. "Boys just seem like too much of a hassle and a waste of time to me."  
"Boys yes, but give them a few years and when they start growing into men you might see them differently." 

* * *

Edd was officially done, he is at his wits end over his father pushing him into the law field. On the drive home from the office that he works at Jake told Edd about how he's invited one of his old college law professors to come over to the house for the barbeque that Jake and Pam are having for the Cul-de-sac. Edd knew it wasn't just a crazy random happenstance that a teacher of his father's would be at the barbeque, his parents will most likely have Edd talk to this person for the whole day.  
So now him and Marie are planning how to tell his parents that he has no inserts in going to law school.  
"I say a big fuck off sign that says; "I hate law school" is what you should make." Marie says as Edd and her plot in his bedroom.  
Edd shakes his head. "I don't even know what kind of sign that is, but I don't hate law school Marie."  
"I know but you know me, it's go big or go home." Marie thinks for a moment. "What about a shirt that says; "Ants are my life"?"  
Edd actually like this idea, but it wouldn't be the best way to tell his parents how he feels about law school. "Maybe a presentation as to why it would be more beneficial to go into Entomology over law."  
"Edd. Why not just tell them; "Mother Father, I know you want me to go into law, and I know Father loves the field very much. But it is just not what I want." Short, sweet, and to the point."  
Edd found Marie's impression of how he talks spot on. "You don't think I should make a show of it?" Edd had been expecting Marie to keep suggesting grand displays, so the short line was a little unexpected.  
"Well I could keep thinking up more, but that is a me thing, not and Edd thing. And this problem needs to be taken care of the Edd way."  
"Thank you Marie." Edd leans over and kissed her on the cheek. "I just hope this works."  
"Well one way or another your folks are going to learn that you don't want to go into law." 

* * *

Edd's parents invited all of the families of the Cul-de-sac and the Kankers to the barbeque, Ms. Kanker passed on the invite. Edd didn't understand why his parents are having this event, but he is sure they have their reasons.  
The backyard of the Vincent house is full of people, tables are covered with plastic tablecloths, coolers full of sodas and bottled water, music is playing through a small radio, and Jake is cooking hamburger and hotdogs on a grill. Edd's parents are normally very formal, so seeing them in casual clothing and talking to the other parents like they were normal adults and not the proper and well mannered parents that Edd knew was odd to him.  
And like he thought, Edd was pushed into keeping his father's old college professor entertained. Jake's former professor, Professor Banks, is a heavy set man with most of his hair lost to time, what hair he does have left is cut very short. He also has a full face beard that is kept just as short as his head hair.  
"This is a fine neighborhood you have here Eddward." Professor Banks says as Edd hands him a paper plate with a hamburger and potato chips on it.  
"Thank you Sir." Edd chooses to not sit down. He would rather be spending this time with Marie and the rest of his friends that are gathered around the unlit fire pit that was in the back yard, which has never been used as far as Edd can remember.  
Professor Banks sees Edd looking at his friends. "Why don't you go play with your friends Eddward, you do seem to wish to join them." He says before taking a large bite out of his hamburger.  
Edd turns back to his guest. "Mother and Father asked me to keep you entertained while they are cooking." Edd clasps his hands behind his back. Once the cooking was done he was going to make his move and confront his parents and get the notion of him going to law school out of their heads once and for all.  
"Jake was one of my finest students, I am sure you will live up to his memory." Professor Banks has become very good at reading people over the years, and he can see something is off with Edd and the mention of his father's schooling.  
"Mmm." Edd couldn't help but look back at his friends, and he met Marie's gaze. From this far away he shouldn't be able to make out the expression on her face, but he knows she is worried about him. Confronting his parents is going to be the biggest bad thing he has ever done in his life and she is worried that they might react badly.  
"Have you given any thought to which branch of law you would like to go down?" Professor Banks pulls Edd's attention back away from his girlfriend.  
With locking eyes with Marie, even if just for a brief moment, Edd's bolder side that Marie has grown in him rose to the surface. "I actually have no interest in law Professor Banks."  
"Well, have you told your parents about this? Because your father spoke very highly of your interest in following him." Professor Banks kind of saw this coming, in the past when he was around a youth that was interested in the field of law they would not stop talking to him about it, but Edd had yet to even mention it.  
Edd looks away, not back to Marie and his friends, just away from everyone. "Father and Mother have no interest in what I wish to do after grade school."  
Professor Banks sets his plate down on the table. "Son, you need to tell them this not me. Only you can make them see you for you, and that only works if you show them who you are."  
These were wise words to Edd. Professor Banks was right, he has to show his parents who he is. But unfortunately, Jake and Pam walked over to Edd and Professor Banks just as Edd was going to thank him.  
"Professor Banks, thank you again for coming to this little get together." Jake has a wide smile on. "I hope Eddward here wasn't talking your ear off."  
"He can get a bit worked up when talking about things he loves." Pam adds.  
"He has been an exceptional gentleman, you have razed a good kid Jake." Professor Banks moves to get up from the bench he was sitting on.  
"Um Father-" Edd tried to speak, but he was talking softly and his father cut him off before Edd got a third word out.  
"Oh well I'm sure Eddward is just a little nervous, meeting the man that taught his father everything." Jake doesn't see Edd's eye twitch, he is engrossed in his own world that all he sees is what he wants to see.  
"Father-"  
This time it was Pam that spoke interrupting Edd. "Oh, you should have heard him go on and on about the school he went to for the last year and a half. I would have loved to get Eddward into St Mary Abbots for his final year, but they were not taking any new students that were not in the ninth grade."  
"Mother please-" Edd is really starting to hate getting talked over.  
"That would have been an amazing school to get him into, it would have added only more positive things on a law school application."  
That last line was it for Edd, no more was he going to wait, no more was he going to speak softly. His father's last line was the push over the edge.  
"I have no interest in law school!" Edd yelled, silencing the back yard. "For years that is all you have ever pushed me to do. All I have ever heard was "you'll be a great lawyer like your father" and "you will love law son", but I don't. Every sign of enthusiasm you have seen about me becoming a lawyer was you seeing what you wanted to see. It has always been about what you want and never what I want for my own life. I want to be an Entomologist! I love ants and everything about them, but you would never know that about me because you never cared to get to know me." By the end of Edd's rant against his parents tears were in his eyes and everyone in the backyard has a look of shock on their faces. Well Marie didn't, she was readying herself for this when she saw Edd's parents walk in his direction. So when Edd ran for the house she was quick to get up.  
"Gotta go." She says tossing May her can of soda as she gets up off the grass.

Marie found Edd in the first place she looked, his bedroom. "You ok Edd?" She walks into the room where Edd is laying face down in his pillow. "God that is such a stupid question to ask. No of cores you're not ok. After going off on your parents like that you would be a mess." Marie sits down next to Edd on the bed, she can hear him weeping into his pillow.  
She thinks that maybe a joke might help him. "Well just so you know, that offer to run away is still on the table. We could probably make it all the way to Lemon Brook and find a drug dealer to work for, but if you start using I will pop you." Marie has a smile on her face as she rubs Edd's back, she did hear a short chuckle com from him, but he didn't move to get up.  
"I'm sorry Edd. This sucks the big one…" Marie hears footsteps hurrying up the stairs, it could be only two people coming up that much in a hurry.  
And she was right, Jake and Pam rushed into Edd's bedroom with looks of deep concern and worry for their son.  
Marie was just able to move off of the bed as Pam took her spot. "Eddward." She lifts him up so he has to look at her. "Sweetie why would you do that?"  
Edd wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. "How else was I going to get you and Father to notice me."  
"Not the yelling son." Jake moves to sit on the other side of Edd. "Why tell us you don't want to be a lawyer that way."  
"Because you never asked me what I wanted to be."  
"But you've never told us either. Yes we should have asked you what you wanted to do with your life, I guess the idea of you following me clouded our thoughts." Jake puts his arm around Edd's shoulder, something he has hardly ever done.  
"But we would never make you do something you wouldn't want to do Eddward." Pam adds. "We love you Eddward and we only ever want what is best for you."  
Edd was surprised by what his parents are saying, he expected them to be mad, not understanding. "You're not mad at me for not wanting to be a lawyer?" He asks wiping his eyes again.  
"Of course not Eddward."Jake hugs his son with the arm around him. "Yes I am a little sad that I will never have a father son law firm, but we would never want you to be unhappy."  
"If you had just told us that you wanted to go into a science field we would have been encouraging that instead of law." Pam hugs Edd with her own arm.  
Edd sniffles to clear his nose. "Thank you Mother. Thank you Father. I'm sorry I didn't bring this up sooner, and for yelling at you in front of the guests."  
"There is nothing to be sorry about Eddward." Pam and Jake hug Edd tighter.  
As the family talked Marie watched in silence. She is happy that everything worked out for her boyfriend, though she does wish she had told him about talking to them about this the night she met his parents, it could have save a lot of time.  
"Marie." Pam says getting her sons girlfriends attention. "Come here."  
Hesitantly Marie walks over. "Yes Pam?" she asks.  
With her free hand she pulls Marie into a hug. "I've never thanked you for all that you have done for our family. You make Eddward very happy and you are always polite to me and Jake and help Eddward with chores without even being asked."  
The hug scared Marie, hugging was something she only has ever done with her grandmother, mother, and Edd. So needless to say she tensed up when Pam pulled her into one. "It's fine Pam." Marie fought against her urge to fight the hug, this was happening and she had to accept it. "Edd does the same for me and my Mom."

After the hug was finished, that Marie was happy to have over, Pam and Jake excused themselves from Edd's room and told him if he wanted to he could come back down to the party whenever he wants too.  
"I think things are going to get better Marie. Mother and Father don't seem to care that I want to be a scientist." Edd says once he hears his parent's footsteps on the stairs.  
Marie jumps down onto the bed next to Edd. "I still say a big fuck off sign would have been better."  
"I still do not know what that is." Edd takes Marie's hand and laces their fingers together.  
"No one does, that's the point. But hope you learned that you should be more outspoken about what you want."  
Edd smiles. "Well if that is the case, then I would like to have you alone for a few hours." His joke caused Marie to laugh, he does love the sound of her laugh.  
"Ooo you are such a bad boy Edd. But you know we can't have any of THAT fun with parents in the area." Marie gives Edd a kiss on the cheek as a compensation and as a way to joke with him back.  
"Hum… how long would it take us to get to Lemon Brook?" Edd asks causing Marie to laugh again. 

* * *

The Monday after the barbeque, that became the talk of the teens of the Cul-de-sac, Edd was told by his father that he didn't have to go to the office with him if he didn't want too.  
"But Father, what about the internship that you got me?" Edd asked as his father gathered his things for the day.  
"There is only a few more weeks left, we can manage the little work there will be. You go enjoy the rest of your summer with your friends, maybe look into taking that driving school class your friend Eddy took last year." Jake gives Edd a pat on the shoulder as he walks for the door.  
"Have a good day Eddward, we'll see you tonight." Pam follows her husband smiling at her son.  
Edd watches his parents walk out the front door to leave for their jobs for the day, and once he hears the sound of the two car engines he takes out his Smartphone and calls up the one person he would love to spend the day with.  
"Hello Marie, how would you like to go see a movie today?" 

* * *

With the final week of summer vacation here, Edd and his friends are getting ready for the return to Peach Creek High. Well they were kind of getting ready. Eddy was spending most of his time working on a broken jeep his father brought home for him or video chatting with Victoria, who is at her dorm room already.  
Kevin was getting ready to try out for the baseball team by practicing and hitting the gym.  
May is splitting her time with spending time with Ed, working with her mother at the diner and practicing with Nazz to keep their skill the best.  
Nazz was spending what time she can with Kevin and preparing to try out for Peach Creek High's cheer team with May, they intend to get the rank of captain for one of them.  
Lee was really looking forward to getting back to her old stomping grounds, maybe things might get back to some sense of normality. But she knows that nothing is going to be the same. Marie and Edd starting a relationship set off the chain of events that led to the sisters somehow becoming friends with the teens that they once bullied. But Lee kind of likes having friends, even if it really only is Nazz and Edd that talk to her, it still makes her feel welcomed and accepted.  
It should be no surprise that Marie and Edd have been spending every waking hour together. Whether it was them at the driving school learning how to drive, or it was just the two of them just laying around enjoying the final few days before they start their final year of school.

Like they are this day. Marie is lying on Edd's bed with her back partially on the wall using his pillow to support the odd angle she is resting at with Edd laying on his side using Marie's stomach as a pillow. As the two of them rest Marie was running her fingers through Edd's hair. It has gotten a good amount longer and he has been debating on how short he should get it cut.  
"I love your hair Edd, it's really soft." Marie says as the locks of black hair flow through her fingers.  
The feeling of Marie's fingers in his hair was relaxing to him, he is on the edge of falling asleep. "Glad you like it, I do my best to keep it healthy."  
Unconsciously Marie's fingers run across the scar on the side of his head. The rough texture of the skin made her stop and run a finger across the scar a second time taking in the odd shape and placement of it.  
Edd reaches up and takes the hand off of his scar and laces their fingers together.  
"Sorry." Marie says feeling guilty for touching his scar.  
"It is ok Marie, it's just a little odd to feel it being touched." Edd pulls their hands down to his chest. He thinks for a moment as Marie's other hand continues to go through his hair. "Marie."  
"Yeah Edd?"  
"Do… do you want to know what happened?" He asks looking up at his girlfriend.  
"About your scar?" Marie asks taking her hand off of his head.  
Edd sits up. "Yes." He isn't sure how she is going to react to this tale, but he feels like it has been long enough that he can share it with her.  
"Only if you wanna tell me."  
Edd takes a deep breath. "Ok, well years ago, over ten, my family lived just outside the state capital. Father had just finished his law degree and we only had a small two bedroom apartment on the fourth floor of this apartment building. Well one day the front door was left open by mistake and I somehow made my way out of our home and started playing in the stairwell. I don't remember very much of what I was thinking or how it happened, but from what I was told I was trying to climb up onto the railing. And well… I ended up falling down half a flight of stairs and caught the side of my head on a broken glass bottle. I sustained several other minor injuries but the gash on the side of my head was the worst."  
Marie has a look of deep concern and worry for Edd, even if the events that she is hearing about are over ten years old she still wanted him to be ok at the end of the tale. "How bad was it? Did you need stitches? Did your parents freak out on you?" She asks moving closer to him so she could hold him.  
Edd doesn't feel as hindered when he told Ed and Eddy about this event, talking to Marie turned out to be rather easy. And with her arms around him and the kiss on his cheek he got made him not feel the pain that normally came with talking about it.  
"It was very bad, I had a crack in my skull. No I couldn't have stitches do to the skin being torn off in a small strip so they had it bandaged over. And no they didn't. But Father was able to use the incident as a way to legally break the lease once I was out of the hospital."  
"Did you guys move here after that?" Marie asks as she continues to hold Edd.  
Edd shakes his head. "No, we stayed with my grandfather while I healed and Mother and Father finalized the sale on this house."  
"Huh, so both of our families moved to this place to start a new chapter and to get away from an apartment full of bad memories." Marie found the similarities between the two families oddly unique.  
"Did your sisters, mother, and you move away from a bad part of town?"  
Marie nods her head. "Yeah, Mom wanted to get out of the apartment she had been in since Lee's dad bailed on her."  
"I would never abandon you like that Marie." Edd isn't sure why he said what he just said. They are nowhere near the path that Marie's mother went down at their age, and they are being very careful to not let the mishap that lead to Lee happen to them.  
Marie smiles and gives Edd a quick kiss. She already knew Edd would never leave her like her mother was left, but she still loved hearing him say it. "I love you Edd. And you are going to be stuck with me forever too." 

* * *

The day before the start of the new school year Edd invited Ed and Eddy over to make sure they were ready for the school year. They went over supplies needed and the time school started.  
"Yeah yeah." Eddy said waving Edd off. "Just be ready to go at nine." Eddy walked out of Edd's hose with a grin of him planning something.  
"I don't like this." Edd says as Marie helped him gather up the empty soda cans and cookie bag that was left by his friends.  
"He is planning something, you can see it in his eyes." Marie says noticing something on the couch as she crushed a soda can in her hand. Curious she picks it up and sees it a comic book called; "Vault of Science: Attack of the Space Nose Miner".  
"Hey Edd, is this yours?" She asks holding the comic book up.  
Edd looks back into the living room. "No, Ed must have left it here."  
Marie opens the comic and thumbs through the pages. She's never read a comic book before and the only comics she had seen before was in newspapers. "Hum…" Marie has never tried her hand at doing any story style drawing, it's always been one and done with her drawings. But looking at the pictures of the Space Nose Miner, she thinks that it might be fun to try. "You think Ed would care if I borrowed this?"  
"I don't see why not." Edd says from the kitchen. "Just keep it safe." 

* * *

A cool breeze blows through the Cul-de-sac as an alarm wakes a young man from his sleep. He sits up stretches and scratches his head. He was up later than he should have been with his girlfriend the night before so he is a bit tired as he moves to get out of his bed. He showers, washes his face, and shaves, his facial hair had started coming in noticeably over the summer and he has taken up shaving when the stubble gets too long.  
Once he is back in his room he starts looking through his closet to find something to wear. "Hum." He moves hangers around looking for a suitable outfit. He initially went for his suite that he has worn to St Mary Abbots School, but stopped himself from pulling the hanger down. Edd then comes to a black long sleeve shirt and a red T-shirt and he knows this is the one. He takes the two shirts out of his closet and a pair of blue jeans, not the same tight ones Marie gave him to wear, and lays them out on his bed before retrieving his undergarments.  
After getting dressed Edd looks for his black ski on his desk, but instead of the hat there is a post it note with a heart on it with a blue lipstick kiss on it. "Marie must have took it last night." He says picking up the post it note. He pockets the note, grabs his black messenger bag, and walks out of his room.

Just as Edd finished eating his breakfast, he hears a horn honk outside. He sets his spoon down and looks at his pocket watch, eight fifty nine am it reads. "Well, this is surprising." Edd is a little amazed, if that is Eddy outside than this is the first time he has ever been early to them meeting up for the trip to school. The horn honks again, Edd is starting to dislike that horn.

Eddy was in fact waiting outside for Edd inside his recently fixed jeep with Ed in the back. "Good morning gentlemen, congratulations on getting your jeep running Eddy." Edd climbs into the front passenger side seat, there are no doors on Eddy's jeep as well as no roof.  
"Thanks." Eddy flips his sunglasses down over his eyes. "Buckle up boys, we got an entrance to make."  
Edd grabs the bar above his head just as Eddy speeds out of the Cul-de-sac.

Eddy is grinning the whole drive to Peach Creek High, he loves this jeep and is proud of all the work he put into getting it to run. He wishes he could have shown it off to Victoria before she left, but she will be back in town to visit over the Thanksgiving break so he only has a few months till he can see her again. He knows that a long distance relationship is going to be a challenge, but he is going to do everything he can to make it work

They hit the parking lot of the school with more speed than Eddy should have had his jeep going at and they skid into a parking spot. "Eddy, next time I am driving." Edd's heart was pounding the whole way to school, Eddy is far too reckless of a driver for Edd.  
"Get a pair of wheels and then you can drive." Eddy turns off the engine and pulls his keys out.  
"I believe Mother and Father have talked about just that." Edd says as Eddy pops his steering wheel off.  
The Ed's walk away from Eddy's jeep and Edd notices that Eddy is dressed differently. Normally he would be in a T-shirt and unkempt jeans, but today he has a yellow button up dress T-shirt on with the top few button undone over clean jeans. This made Edd proud of Eddy, the year and a half has clearly influenced his friends dressing habits.  
"You guys happy to be home?" Ed says, speaking for the first time that day.  
"What do you mean Ed?" Edd asks as the school nears.  
"Back at our real school and not at the fancy place." Ed attempts to clarify what he meant.  
"I'm with Ed." Eddy points at Ed with his thumb. "That private school was too upscale for us."  
"I disagree, I think our time at St Mary Abbots was rather-"  
 ***Wap*  
** Edd is tackled to the ground by a teen girl in a black skirt and black dress shirt with the sleeves ripped off. "Hey there good lookin." The girls says smiling wide through her black bangs, she also has a black ski cap on her head.  
"Hello Marie." Edd says smiling wide at his girlfriend, who is sitting on top of him. "I see you found some new headwear."  
"She was going on about stealing that from you all last night." May says walking up to the boys. She has on her cheer team jacket over some jeans, she is going to make it a point to remind everyone that looked down at the Kankers at Peach Creek High that she achieved something very big at St Mary Abbots.  
"Hi May." Ed says excited to see his own girlfriend.  
"Hey Edd." May and Ed hug and share a quick kiss. The sight of Ed and May showing affection to each other is still an odd sight to Edd and Eddy, they are both happy for May and Ed, it is just something they never thought would happen.  
Marie gives Edd a kiss before helping him up. "I just thought it looked better on me, thought with what you're wearing today, I think it might fit more to your bad boy persona."  
"Oh please, Double Dee is no way a "bad boy" Marie." Lee rolls her eyes behind her bangs at her sister.  
Marie grins at her sister. "You don't know my Edd like I do Lee."  
"I don't, and I don't ever wanna know." Lee starts walking towards the entrance to the school, wanting to get away from the conversation that is happening in the parking lot.  
"So what about you ladies, did you enjoy our time at St Mary Abbots?" Edd asks as the six teens walk together.  
Marie holds up her and Edd's joined hands. "Obviously I did." She says with a wide smile.  
"I did too." May adds and Ed and her join hands.  
"Eh, it was alright." Was Lee's answer.  
"Aww, you mean you didn't like making friends with us Lee?" Nazz, Kevin, and Rolf are just inside the entrance to the school.  
"Ok, maybe a little." Lee didn't want to admit that Nazz was right, she doesn't feel as lonely now that she has some kind of friendship with people other than her sisters.  
Edd looks around at the group of teens he is with. Years ago they were divided into separate groups that really didn't get along with each other, and now they are one big clique of friends that Edd is happy to have.  
"I think Lee would agree with you Nazz, if she did not have her Kanker status of being the tough girl on campus to keep up." Edd lets a little sly grin cross his face, he just made a joke at Lee's expense but meant no ill intent behind it. And when Lee's cheeks turn a faint shade of red, he know that he is telling the truth.  
"Edd got ya there sis, you like us and we all know it." Marie sasses her sister.  
"Shaddup." Lee takes a playful swing at her sister, missing intently. The teens all laugh together, but their laughter is cut short by someone standing in front of them.  
"You little piece of shit." In front of the teen is stands Scott, glaring right at Edd as he clenched his fists. "I knew I'd get you."  
Edd had almost completely forgotten about Scott, so much had happened after the dance that he had just slipped to the back of Edd's mind.  
"Good morning to you too Scott." Edd didn't want too, but he knew he needed to be civil with Scott, or at least try too.  
Scott spits on the ground in front of Edd. "Fuck you."  
"Hey." Marie had her fists balled and took a step towards Scott, but is stopped by Edd putting his arm across her chest.  
"No need Marie, I got this." Edd says looking at his girlfriend with confidence in his eyes. "Scott." He says looking back at the older teen in front of him. "You do know that cursing is not allowed inside of Peach Creek High."  
"I don't give a fuck about this shit hole." He points at Edd. "I'm going to kick your ass for getting me kicked out of school." He then points at Marie. "And then I'm going to beat her senseless for getting me messed up with you fucks."  
The threat against himself was something Edd could take, but not when Marie is threatened. Edd is angry, but keeps his cool. "You might want to rethink what you just said Scott. We are not at St Mary Abbots where you have your street cred as a tough guy. You are at Peach Creek High, where I am the smartest student in the twelfth grade."  
"Ooo, you're the smart one." Scott mocks Edd. "What has that got to do with anything?"  
"Nothing at the moment, I just felt like asserting my intellectual superiority over you before I remind you of what one Kanker did to you in three punches, and to let you know that I am in the favor of all three of them." Edd was looking at his nails as he talked and rubbed them on his shirt, attempting to play it as cool as he could. "Also." He adds. "I happen to be friends with one of the best athletes in the school." He points to Kevin. "And his girlfriend who is one of the most popular girls in this school, who I am sure is a shoe in for prom king and queen." Edd , and the others for that matter, can't believe that he is able to keep this boosting going for this long. "Not to mention all the other friends I have that go here."  
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Scott is very confused by Edd.  
"What I am talking about Scott." Edd starts walking the few feet between him and Scott. "Is that you are in our school now. And here at PCH, we look out for each other. I'm not afraid of you, but you should be of us."  
Scott glares at Edd, he is mad. "You think I'm afraid of a little shit like you?" Scott takes a swing at Edd, but Edd had been preparing for this attack from the moment he took the first step to Scott. Quickly Edd grabs Scott's fist and uses his own momentum against him and tossed him into the lockers in the wall.  
The others are shocked at what Edd just did. "DAMN! Double Dee! You laid him out!" Eddy yells running over to his taller friend and pulling him into a playful headlock.  
"It was nothing Eddy, simple physics is all." Edd pulls himself out of the headlock. "Now Scott please think of this as a warning, and a chance to reflect on your ways. You can make this next year easy on you, of you can make it a very inconvenient one."  
Edd didn't bother to say anything else to the teen boy on the floor, instead he takes Marie's hand, kisses her on the cheek, and leads the group away.  
"That was really freaking hot Edd." Marie says quietly to her boyfriend.  
"I did not intend to arouse you Marie, I only wanted him to understand that this is our school and that he should not look to cause any mischief to you, your sisters, or any of my friends." The other's were talking around Edd, he is sure that this is going to be the talk of the school for weeks to come, but all he cared about was keeping the girl he loves safe.  
"Well regardless, I love that you stood up to him." Marie leads against Edd as they walk.  
Edd smiles at his girlfriend. "I will always stand up for you Marie. You are that which is most precious to me."  
"Edd." Marie leans up to whisper into his ear. "Can we please ditch the first half of the day and run back to your house? I feel the need to rip your clothes off and have my way with you."  
Edd's cheeks burn at Marie's comment. "I um…" ***ahem*** "I'm sorry Marie, we cannot excuse ourselves from the first day of school for that. But maybe something can be arranged for after school." Edd did his best to hide his desire to do what Marie asked, but he knows that this last year of high school is set to be the hardest and they need to be there every day.  
"I will hold you to that." 

* * *

**Epilog**

Ten years have passed since the high school graduation of a group of nine teens, now adults in their late twenties. Across the town of Peach Creek is a small one bedroom apartment that is not as clean and organized as it should be, but the young couple that lives in it just don't prioritize keeping their home clean. The couple is preparing for a weekend stay at a hotel where their high school reunion is being held. They could stay home and save the money, but the idea of not having to drive home appealed to them.  
The lady of the house was packing a suitcase of her clothing for the weekend, and as she pulls open the top drawer of the dresser she stops and looks at the handful of framed pictures that sit on top of it. They were their collection of memorable moments in their life, them and their friends outside of a school they went to for a year and a half, a picture of nine teens in their graduation gowns, and the newest one was of a man with slightly shaggy black hair in a tuxedo kissing a lady with black and blue hair in a white dress.  
The woman picks up the wedding photo, she loved how her and her husband looked in the photo, it was very similar to a drawing she had once done, albeit her hair is much different now. It is a good amount longer that she had it when she was in her teens and she no longer has her right eye covered with bangs.  
"Marie." A voice called out from outside the bedroom.  
"Yeah?" Marie called back, setting the picture back down.  
"Is there any toiletries that you can think of that we might need to pick up?"  
Marie thinks for a brief moment. "None that I can think of Edd."  
Marie goes back to packing her clothing, making sure to keep a rolled up piece of paper from getting crushed, but also keeping it hidden so it would not be seen if her husband looked into her suitcase. Marie has a surprise for the love of her life that is Edd for when they get to the hotel, and she spent a good amount of her free time using the contents of the beaten and well used wooden suitcase that she has owned for the better part of twelve years to make. 'This is going to be a great weekend, for all of us.' She gives her stomach and very gentle rub.  
She didn't believe it herself when she found out the news that she is planning on surprising Edd with, but after a visit with her doctor, she is excited for the next chapter in their lives that is about to unfold.  
A tall slightly shaggy haired man walks into the bedroom carrying a small traveling bag in his hand. "I have our toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shaving supplies, soaps, shampoos, and a small selection of medicine pack up Marie." He says holding up the bag to his wife.  
Marie smiles, even after all this time she still finds it cute that Edd will over plan and pack for events that probably won't happen. "Cool, I got all of my stuff packed up, including this." She holds up a see-through black lace night dress. "For when we have some alone time at the hotel." She wiggles her eyebrows at Edd.  
"Very sexy Marie." Edd pulls her to him with a free hand around her waist. He gives her a kiss before saying; "Just don't plan on staying in the room all weekend, we haven't seen some of our friends in years."  
Marie tosses the night dress back into her suitcase. "You don't have to remind me, I haven't see May sense her and Ed moved out of state."  
"It will be nice to see Ed again, I do miss that gentle giant."  
A few years after graduation May got signed to a sports team as part of the cheer team. If asked about which team Marie would feign ignorance at the question, but in all reality Marie and Edd made it a point to watch every game she is in, even if they don't understand the game.

On the drive to the hotel Marie found herself paying with the black obsidian glass ring she has on a necklace around her neck. The ring was a gift from Edd years ago after their graduation from high school. It is one of a pair of promos rings that has their names engraved on the inside of the band. Marie wore her graduation gift everyday on her finger for years until Edd gave her an even more important ring to replace it.

At the hotel after checking into their room, and Marie trapping Edd against the door for some kissing, Marie and Edd are riding the elevator down to the lobby. They have a few hours until the reunion starts, so they are going to wait in the bar of the hotel for their friends.  
Inside the lower lit room full of table and people enjoying their late afternoon drinks. Edd and Marie look around for any familiar looking faces, and Edd spotted one. Sitting at the bar in an oil stained shirt and work worn jean sat the once shortest member of their group of friends.  
"Early as always I see Eddy." Edd says to his old friend as Marie and him walk up to the bar.  
Eddy turns around and give his friend a smile, Eddy is happy to see his friend. "Being early means I can leave early and not have to deal with everyone that is coming."  
"Would you rather be at your dad's shop all day?" A slightly raspy voice says from behind the three adults.  
They all turn to look an see two more of their friends. Kevin is holding Nazz's hand as the two of them walk to the group.  
"You mean the second largest auto-shop in town where I manage ten people and get paid to work on cars all day?" After graduation Eddy went to working at his father's small repairs car garage, but with the enthusiasm Eddy brought to the team the business quickly rose to the large size they are now.  
Marie didn't hear the conversation going on, she was in shock at the only other lady present at the moment. "Damn Nazz, you look like you're about ready to pop." Her eyes grew wide at the sight of Nazz's swollen stomach.  
Nazz gently rubs her stomach through her baggy T-shirt. "Well the baby is due in like a month, so what did you expect me to look like? A cheerleader still?" Nazz and Kevin are expecting their first child together.  
"Only I get to say that officially still." A few feet behind Nazz and Kevin is the last couple of the group of friends. May and Ed are walking together also excited to see their friends.  
Nazz puts her fists on her hips. "Hey, just because I wanted to become a teacher does not mean I don't get to say I wasn't one. And remember who taught you everything you used to get where you are." In truth Nazz is happy for May, she achieved a great goal in her life.  
"You know I could never be where I am today without you Nazz." May smiles almost sheepishly, it has been a long time since she has seen all of her friends.  
"If you go to hug her sis, I will pop you." Marie holds her fist up at her sister.  
"Why?" May asks confused as to why Marie would hit her.  
Edd holds a glass bottle of beer out to Marie, while the ladies talked Edd ordered a pair of drinks for the two of them. "Because May." Edd says interrupting the conversation. "You hugging Nazz would be too girly of a thing for you to do. And Kankers are not girly."  
Marie takes the bottle, but doesn't take a drink from it. "Well he's not wrong sis. Kankers are tough."  
"But you're a Vincent now Marie, and have been for years. Can you really dictate what it is to be a Kanker?" May asks crossing her arms.  
"She's got you there Marie." Nazz says agreeing with May.  
Marie crosses her own arms and looks away. "This is why I wish Lee was here, she would agree with me."  
"She couldn't make it I take it?" Nazz asks looking from one sister to the other.  
Marie shakes her head. "Na, she couldn't afforded the trip back from Seattle."  
A year after their high school graduation Lee hit the road and moved away to Seattle in hopes of finding herself. For years as they grew making sure her sisters made it through life was more important to Lee, but when their lives took off leaving her behind she needed to go out and find her place in the world.  
"When was the last time you three were all together?" Nazz asks.  
"At our wedding." Marie says gesturing at herself and Edd with her thumb. "Which was the last time we saw Victoria too."  
"Now there is a face that would be nice to see. Hey Eddy." Nazz turns to her own husband and his friend that have been talking about cars.  
"What?" Eddy asks.  
"You hear from Ms. Public Defender lately?" Nazz asks curious about Eddy's old highschool girlfriend.  
Sadly Eddy and Victoria chose to end their relationship after she was accepted to Harvard. They both didn't want their relationship to end, but Victoria didn't want to tie Eddy down to a partner that is clear across the country and Eddy didn't want Victoria to carry the guilt of not being able to see Eddy for years. So with heavy hearts they decided that it was for the best to let their love story come to an end.  
"Not really, she's always working and doesn't have much time for a grease monkey like me." Eddy has thought about asking her out again, but hasn't had the guts to do so.  
"I'm telling you man, ya gotta get back on that horse before it's too late." Kevin gives him a playful punch in the arm.  
"Na man, what we had was great, and I wouldn't want to stain the memory of it all." Eddy looks away from the group talk, getting lost in his memories.

The group moved to sit around a few of the tables to keep talking. Nazz talked about the elementary school she works at and all the joy she gets from the little kids that look up to her.  
May told the group she was thinking of retiring after the next season and coming back to Peach Creek.  
"Why give up the great gig May?" Marie asks, still holding the same full beer Edd gave her.  
"Well we miss home, the construction business is just not that great for Ed down there, and… I think it might be cool to start a dance school here in town." May has only shared this idea with Ed, so telling the five other adults around her made her nervous as to what they might say.  
"Will we get a discount for this little one?" Nazz asks pointing at her stomach.  
"And you're going to come to me for any graphical needs right?" Marie asks.  
"I donno if I will even do this you know." May expected a lot less of positivity from her friends.  
"I think it is a fantastic idea May. With being a professional cheerleader you will already have a good source of credentials for teaching the youths that will come to you." Edd adds his own encouragement to his sister-in-law.  
May needed to get off this topic before she finds herself at a loan officer's office. "So how's the coffee shop treating you Marie? You still liking it?"  
"I've actually gone to just a few days a week there, need more time for the fun job." Marie smiles, she saw what her sister had done, but let the topic change to her happen without a complaint.  
"Putting that degree to good use I hope." May says happy that the topic seems to have changed without a hitch.  
"I'm trying, but it's not as easy as you would think it would be to fit art history facts into a three or four panel comic." Marie set her bottle of beer down on the table. "Comedy is just an easier sell."  
Marie was able to, with a lot of help from Edd and his parents, acquire enough financial aid to cover most of the cost of her Art History degree and worked her butt off in the summer to pay the rest. But Marie has always preferred doing art over talking about it, so she never actively sought out a job as an Art Historian. As she was at school she worked part time at a coffee shop. Marie loved the job and during the free time she had she started doing little cartoons of Edd and hers childhood, with some over exaggerations on what really happened.  
For the first few years out of college Marie worked at the coffee shop as she tried to find work that she could use her skills with. She started doing little drawings on some of the paper cups as a small amount of entertainment to the customers, and she just happened to give a cup with a city landscape on it to a member of the editors staff of the local newspaper. This lead to the editor talking Marie and eventually offering her a strip in the papers comic section. Marie was shocked and amazed by the offer, she talked it over with Edd and took the offer.  
But when she sat down to make her first strip, Marie had no idea what to make the strip about. She sat at the kitchen table of the apartment her and Edd got shortly after he finished his own schooling for days trying to come up with an idea. In the end she just did a quick strip about Edd and his friends chasing giant jawbreakers down the road. After the first strip she was able to come up with ideas faster and faster and is not panicking with deadlines.  
"I still believe that you are doing a fantastic job on your comic strip Marie." Edd leans over and gives his wife a kiss on her cheek.  
Marie smiles, she hears it all the time from Edd but she still loves hearing compliments from Edd. "Thanks Edd."  
"So what about you Edd? What have you been up to with your mad sciencing?" May asks turning to her brother-in-law.  
"It's not "mad sciencing" May. I have been researching the effects ants have on farmland and if it is more beneficial for crop growth." Edd set his own bottle of beer down next to Marie's.  
"You don't want to go down this rabbit hole May. "Marie warns her sister. "Edd will go on and on about work if you let him."  
"I was under the impression that you enjoyed hearing about the work I am doing?" Edd crosses his arms and gives his wife a questioning look.  
"I love hearing about what you do, but to the unindicted they might not like it." Marie gives Edd a kiss on his cheek to squash any doubt he might have.  
"After hearing about what he was doing at college, I can say I still find it boring." Eddy chimes into the conversation.  
Edd went to a college down in the state capital for Entomology, and when he was home, and not with Marie, he talked to his friends a lot about what he was learning.  
"Sorry Eddy." Edd picked up his beer again. "Science rules." He says before taking a drink from the bottle.  
Marie laughed at Edd's comment and picked up her bottle again.  
"Hey Marie." Nazz's eyes caught the level of liquid in Marie's bottle. "Not going to drink tonight?" She asks curious as to why the bottle is still full.  
"What?" Marie says not fully catching the question.  
Nazz points at the bottle in Marie's hand. "You're beer is still full."  
Marie looks down at her bottle, she didn't think anyone would catch her not drinking from it, "I just haven't felt the urge to drink tonight." She sets the bottle down on the table. "Plus I really don't like beer much."  
"Um, the six beers you drank at our housewarming party last year says otherwise Marie." Nazz countered Marie's statement with some hard facts.  
"Um… my tastes have changed." Marie says trying to defend herself.  
"You have cut out any alcohol as of late." Edd adds.  
"Marie." May speaks up. "Take a drink from your beer." May has an idea why Marie would not drink, but she needs some solid proof.  
Marie looks down at her beer, she knows that she can't drink anymore for the better part of a year. "I kinda can't." She looks around at the others, they are all looking at her. Well Just Edd, May and Nazz. Eddy, Ed, and Kevin are talking amongst themselves.  
May grins, she knows she is right. "I think you need to tell Edd something Marie." She says leaning back in her chair.  
Marie glares at her sister, May is killing the surprise Marie had for Edd. "No, I don't think I need to tell him anything right now."  
"What are you talking about May?" Edd is confused, he had no idea what his sister-in-law is talking about. "What would Marie have to tell me?"  
"Don't worry about it Edd." Marie smiles at Edd lovingly hoping to get this topic to end.  
"If you don't tell him I will Marie." May hasn't used her evil Kanker powers in a very long time, so she is going a bit too far at the moment.  
Marie gives her sister a death stare. "Knock it off May."  
"Marie." Edd takes her hand with his getting her attention. "What is your sister talking about? Are you keeping something from me?" He asks turning her head to face him with his free hand.  
Marie sighs. 'There goes the surprise.' She switches their hands so she is holding his. "I just was thinking." She moves his hand from on top her leg. "That we should look into getting a bigger apartment." Marie places Edd's hand on top of her stomach.  
Edd looks at his hand confused. But then it hits him and he looks from his hand to Marie's face with disbelief. "Marie… are you saying that…?" He can't find the words to finish his question.  
Marie smiles and nods, not wanting to say anything.  
"You're pregnant Marie?" Edd's eyes are wide.  
"I wanted to tell you tonight, I made you a drawing to tell you. But I guess the cat is out of the bag." Marie laces their fingers together as Edd becomes speechless.  
"I- we're going to be parents." Edd says as his mind tries to come to terms with the news that has been given to him.  
"Ha! I knew it!" May yells boasting.  
"Enjoy killing my surprise while you can May." Marie turns from her husband to her sister. "Because you have totally lost your chance at being a godparent, Lee is getting it."  
"What, damn it." May didn't think that busting her sister would have any negative backlash.  
Marie lets out a laugh as Edd finally find his words. "Marie this is so amazing." He says hugging Marie. "I love you so much Marie. I will look into finding us a two bedroom apartment for when the lease runs out, and we should look into getting a new car, and we should start saving money for baby supplies, and-"  
Marie cuts Edd off with a finger over his mouth. "I love you too Edd, but you don't need to freak out right now." She takes her hand away from his face. "Let's just enjoy the reunion with our friends. And rub it in their faces that we're going to be parents."  
The commotion drew the attention of the other three people that was sitting with Edd, Marie, May, and Nazz.  
"I got dibs on the middle name." Eddy says, laying claim to the middle name of Edd and Marie's unborn child.  
"Why do you get to pick the middle name Eddy?" Edd asks looking away from Marie.  
"I was the best man at your wedding, that makes me the best choice."  
"You AND Ed were both my best man at the wedding Eddy." Edd has had to remind Eddy all the time that Ed and him were both equal at his wedding.  
"Whatever, I still call dibs." Eddy says.  
"I tell you what Eddy." Marie says coming up with an idea. "We will consider letting pick a name we will add to the list IF, and only if, you asks Victoria out again."  
"Shit…" Eddy says. "Damn it alright guys, I'll give her a text tomorrow." The adults around the tables start laughing at Eddy.  
But Edd and Marie don't join in on the laughing, they are looking at each other smiling. Their life together started out very complicated and if events hadn't unfolded as they did, they might not be where they are now. They have helped each other in so many ways in each other's lives that they are nothing like they once were.  
"I love you Marie." Edd says, giving Marie's hand a kiss.  
Marie smiles and pulls Edd to her by his shirt collar. "And I love you too Edd." She gives him a nice long kiss, not caring that their friends could see them.  
"This is the best news I have ever heard."  
"I know. We're going to be kick ass parents Edd."  
"I look forward to proving you right."

The End. 

* * *

AN: Well, there it is, the ending of another story. This turned out to be the longest Edd and Marie story I have ever written, and I feel like it is appropriate to end on a high note. I do not foresee me coming back to this paring, I have written a lot about them and I don't think I could come up with anymore original stories about them. I have some other ideas for stuff to write about down the road, but nothing is set in stone. I should be starting a new job in the next few months (if I nail the interview) so I might not have as much free time to write. But regardless I wanna thank everyone that has read this or any of my stories. You all made this go from something silly, to something I take very serious. I really do love writing and am going to try my hand at writing my own original story. So thank you all again.

Until next time, keep being awesome.  
Linken88.


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